It’s hard not to notice the new wave of RTO mandates taking over corporate America this fall.
In September, Amazon’s Andy Jessee demanded that workers return to the office five days a week starting in January, and persisted despite the massive backlash. That same month, Dell announced that staff would have to come in five days a week. And in November The Washington Post Announced that all employees are expected to go five days a week by June next year.
CEOs cited all kinds of reasons for the return, including better collaboration, communication, and an easier environment for employees to develop their skills. But a different explanation for the WFH rollback has been floating around management circles for some time: executive nostalgia.
It’s not clear where the term came from, but Taryn Berman, former head of executive programs at Slack’s Future Forum (a remote work think tank that will shut down in 2023) frequently hears business leaders is credited with coming up with the phrase. Describe how difficult it was to lead distributed teams.
“They kept going back to the idea of what used to be,” explains Bryman, who currently works as a consultant at the consulting firm McChrystal Group. good luck. “And I was just like, yeah, it’s nostalgia.”
At the core of the idea is that business leaders are missing the business environment in which they came to power. They have also advanced in their management careers in part because of how good they are at building networks and reputations based on in-person interactions—something that is very difficult to do in person. And in fact, some experts say executives who struggle with leading remote teams will force everyone back into the office instead of honing their skills.
Dennis M. Russo, Tapper Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said, “Unless you’ve experienced different ways of working in your previous work life, it’s very difficult to see the benefits of the current new order. ” School of Business, explains. good luck. “Running a successful remote or hybrid company requires training and a level of skills that these executives may not have.”
Some business experts say that in the rush to get back to the office five days a week, the invitation to “culture” also leaves behind the pitfalls that those original cultures had to begin with. The organic water cooler moments that RTO hardliners are pining for may not be happening as often as they thought, and it’s intentional to better fit a hybrid or remote working environment. Can be redesigned.
“There are benefits to collaborating and talking to each other in person, but it doesn’t have to be 40 hours per week,” says Stephen Meyer, professor of business and chair of the management division at Columbia Business School. “People need time to focus.”
Data on remote versus in-person work are mixed. While some studies support the claim that remote work reduces productivity, discourages young professionals, and stifles company culture, others suggest that safe commuting time is essential to work hours. Shifting in helps employees get more done, and that flexibility can improve overall. But one thing is clear: employees love the option to work remotely by a wide margin. A Gallup survey of 21,543 employees conducted earlier this year found that a majority (61%) of full-time on-site workers with remote capabilities would prefer a hybrid work arrangement, and an additional 28 % would prefer to stay away entirely.
“The things we’re hearing senior leaders say about happening in person raise a warning flag,” says Lena Runne, global head of coaching at leadership development software company SkillSoft. good luck. “Forcing people back into office doesn’t get the results that senior leaders say they want to achieve.”
Burt Morris
brit.morse@fortune.com
Today’s edition was prepared by Emma Burley.
Around the table
A roundup of the most important HR headlines.
Some major employers, including IBM, General Motors, Cisco, and Walmart, are eliminating degree requirements and hiring talent from non-traditional backgrounds. Financial Times
Ford Motor Co. announced it will eliminate 4,000 positions in Europe by the end of 2027 as the company faces sluggish EV demand and growing competition from China. The New York Times
Union boss Daniela Cavallo at Volkswagen, representing more than 680,000 workers, is taking a tougher line as the organization enters another round of wage talks. WSJ
Water cooler
Everything you need to know. good luck.
Grinding culture. American employees have Some of the worst work-life balancesand they are expected to stay in office longer than staff in other countries. –Come on Berger
Shot down. California voters A belt shot down the scale that would rise. The state’s minimum wage will be raised to $18 an hour by 2026, arguing that this will reduce spending, taxes and jobs. –A.P
Exit the RTO.. Employees of the London-based bank are resigning. After being ordered by the company to return to the office at least 10 days a month — despite not having enough desks to accommodate them all. –Praarthana Prakash
