No going back? | Why RTO may not be a foregone conclusion for business leaders

While some business leaders are pushing for a full-time return to the office, citing concerns over productivity and corporate culture, they find themselves at odds with a growing chorus of workers and industry voices insisting that RTO is neither necessary nor desirable.

Flexibility and work-life balance are now top priorities for employees, which means business leaders favouring a return are going to have to manage the situation carefully if they want to retain their best and brightest.

The latest data from Owl Labs' State of Hybrid Work report, which surveyed 2,000 UK workers as part of a broader global study, reveals a huge divide between employee preferences and the policies some companies are attempting to enforce.

According to the survey, 74% of UK workers still favour hybrid work, with a mere 11% showing interest in returning to the office full-time. The sentiment extends beyond the UK, with research and social trends from the US pointing to a similar desire for flexibility.