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The return-to-office (RTO) debate shows no signs of being settled any time soon, despite the best efforts of CEOs to strong-arm their workers back in.
While major firms like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Nike shift to mandated in-office policies requiring four or more days a week on-site, a recent McKinsey report says that such policies may not be the golden ticket to improved employee experience and productivity that some business leaders think it is.
But before we get into that, just a heads up that when you have read this feature, digested the stats, genned up on the trends and gathered your thoughts and opinions about RTO, we want you to use our comments box - at the bottom of this article - to let us know your views on whether a return to office is necessary, desirable or currently workable. And we will use them for a follow-up piece that gives us a unique snapshot of opinion. Your opinion, to be exact.
Anyway, back to that report.
It highlights that while workplace models differ, none of them can guarantee better performance outcomes. Instead, it identifies five critical organizational practices that significantly influence outcomes: collaboration, connectivity, innovation, mentorship, and skill development. Regardless of whether employees are fully remote, hybrid, or mostly in-office, addressing these five factors is essential.
RTO trends and employee sentiment
Unsurprisingly, the report reveals a marked increase in companies issuing RTO mandates. The percentage of companies with mostly in-person workers has now doubled to 68% from 34%, while fully remote workers dropped to 17% from 44%. Hybrid workers declined from 22% to 14%.
Despite these shifts, employee sentiment around working models is not fully committed to an office return and remains mixed. In other words, many people are returning somewhat begrudgingly.
HR Grapevine's own snapshot LinkedIn poll showed that 76% favored a blended approach to getting people back into the office; 14% wanted to continue working remotely and only 2% thought an enforced mandate was the best approach.
In the Mckinsey report satisfaction rates are generally high, with in-person and hybrid workers reporting levels of around 80%. But remote workers score even higher at roughly 90%. A third of hybrid workers, however, still express a desire to switch models, compared to only 19% of in-person or remote employees.
What should be of greater concern to businesses leaders is that overall dissatisfaction persists. Employee burnout remains high across all models, with 36% of remote workers and 35% of in-office staff reporting symptoms, compared to 28% of hybrid employees. Meanwhile, 39% of employees overall express an intent to leave their roles, a figure nearing the pandemic high of 40% during the "Great Attrition.”
The disconnect between leaders and employees
The findings reveal a stark gap between leadership perception and employee experience. While 90% of leaders believe connectivity within their organization is strong, only 67% of employees agree.
Similarly, leaders consistently overestimate the effectiveness of collaboration, mentorship, and skill development initiatives.
That disconnect stems from senior leaders' greater control over their own working environments, which often include tailored collaboration patterns and fewer logistical obstacles.
Employees, on the other hand, particularly those in less senior roles, face more rigid structures that limit flexibility and autonomy. The result is a performance gap that won’t be solved by changing the working model alone.
Five key practices for organizational wellbeing
McKinsey highlights that strengthening five core practices is critical to improving employee experience and organizational performance.
Collaboration
Effective collaboration hinges on clear goals and aligned priorities. Managers can foster this by providing structured check-ins, one-on-one sessions, and utilizing digital tools to enable brainstorming and project tracking. While in-person and hybrid models can blend formal and informal interactions, remote environments often require more deliberate strategies to achieve the same outcomes.
Connectivity
Building a sense of shared purpose and belonging requires clear communication about why and when employees should be present in the office. Leaders must establish consistent expectations and ensure that time spent in person aligns with meaningful collaboration or social activities. Managers should be encouraged to actively connect with staff through regular informal chats, coffee meetups, or impromptu working sessions to stay plugged-in.
Innovation
Innovation thrives on psychological safety and leadership support. Remote employees, in particular, may need stronger guidance on securing resources or pursuing innovative ideas. Meanwhile, in-person teams benefit from "fail-fast" cultures that encourage experimentation. Hybrid teams require a careful balance of collaboration and scheduled brainstorming to maintain momentum.
Mentorship
For mentorship to succeed across working models, leaders should blend structured programs with informal coaching. Clear guidance on mentoring expectations is particularly important for remote and hybrid setups. Investing in AI tools to match mentors with mentees or providing reminders for coaching activities can improve outcomes.
Skill Development
Learning opportunities are critical across all working models. Successful organizations invest in targeted reskilling programs, virtual coaching platforms, and microlearning tools. Leaders should reinforce learning by creating space for employees to apply new skills and receive regular feedback, particularly in remote environments where such follow-up can be more easily overlooked.
Building Beyond RTO Mandates
The report makes one thing clear - RTO mandates alone won’t improve employee experience or productivity unless supported by meaningful cultural and operational changes.
By focusing on collaboration, connectivity, innovation, mentorship, and skill development, organizations can create workplaces where employees feel engaged and motivated - regardless of whether they are in the office, remote, or hybrid.
But what do you think? How has remote working affected your organization and is going back to the office the cure-all some regard it to be? Use our comment box below to let us know your thoughts, ideas and experiences on how to make this new workplace reality effective for both leaders and employees.
Leslie Hagemann