How organisations can navigate return-to-office policies with empathy and practicality in 2025
- Maud Vanhoutte
- Jun 2
- 5 min read
Updated: 12 minutes ago
From ghost-town offices to overcrowded, non-ergonomic spaces, where is the right return-to-office policies with balance?
The post-pandemic return to the office still presents a complex challenge for organisations worldwide. Some have adopted fully remote models, while others are returning to full-time in-person work, and many are still experimenting with hybrid arrangements. But one thing is clear: this transition has stirred strong emotions, revealed deep cultural divides, and redefined the workplace as we knew it.
From Sydney to San Francisco, the conversations I have had with leaders and employees alike reveal a powerful truth: returning to work is not just about ‘where’, but ‘why’ and ‘how’.
Since 2020, I have worked with companies across continents, facilitating workshops, coaching leaders, and helping professionals from all horizons navigate uncertainty. What I have seen consistently is this: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, organisations must lead with empathy and flexibility if they want people to re-engage meaningfully. Returning to the office is not just a logistical decision but a profoundly human one.
This article shares insights drawn from over 200 conversations, workshops, and coaching sessions to help organisations approach return-to-office strategies with clarity, empathy, and sustainability.
The return-to-office dynamic differs across countries and industries
In Australia, many firms encourage a few anchor days per week, but employees are increasingly pushing back against rigid five-day office schedules, having adapted to more flexible ways of working.
In parts of Asia, such as Japan and Singapore, a faster return to the office occurred with less resistance, shaped by cultural norms and expectations.
In the US, responses have been polarised, some companies have reopened offices full-time, while others have closed them entirely, embracing remote-only models.
These contrasting responses make one thing clear: the future of work must be adaptable, context-sensitive, and rooted in strong two-way communication. Organisations need to shape return-to-office policies that align with their goals, cultural environment, and the diverse needs of their people.
How are the 2025 return-to-office policies received? Employee sentiments range from mixed feelings to strong concerns
From over 200 coaching and training conversations, a few key concerns arise again and again:
"I worked just as hard at home. Why do they not trust me now?"
"I want connection, but not chaos, noise, commute, and hot-desking drain me."
"Why are we pretending it is still 2019?"
"I need flexibility, not micromanagement."
These are not complaints; they are reflections of employees seeking to be heard. To re-engage teams, we must acknowledge the emotional and practical sacrifices made during remote work: juggling family responsibilities, turning kitchens into offices, and maintaining performance amidst uncertainty.
Let us look closer: around the world, employees opened their homes, restructured their lives, and even trained their children to respect makeshift workspaces. Many juggled care duties for parents, children, and pets; while still delivering strong results. Now, asking them to abruptly return five days a week feels like an extreme shift for many professionals.
60% of employees would choose flexibility over a pay rise.
This is not about resistance; it is about values. Employees want purpose, balance, and fairness. Many are willing to leave their company if forced to return to rigid structures and full-time office work.
This is not a new concern, in 2023, Forbes was writing about “The Great Mismatch’: Employers Firmer On Return-To-Office Policies In 2023”, using this photo below; the feeling seems to remain the same.
Tip:
Invite your team into the design process. Ask what worked during remote. What must stay? What must change?
What are organisational goals with back-to-the-office policies? Restoring collaboration and productivity
From the leadership side, I hear:
"We miss cross-pollination of ideas."
"Juniors are not learning from their peers anymore."
"Culture is fading when people do not meet."
“I do not know how to support my teams or check on their wellbeing.”
These are valid concerns. But they must be communicated with care.
Instead of saying, “We need you back three days a week,” try:
“Some of our best ideas spark in shared moments. Let us build a rhythm where that happens naturally.”
These companies prioritised culture, not control.
Salesforce redesigned its offices into collaboration hubs and coined 'Success From Anywhere.'
Telstra created team-based office neighbourhoods.
Atlassian maintained a remote-first model with quarterly team meetups. Each aligned their strategy with values, not control.
Reflect:
What is your organisation doing to support happiness and innovation in the office?
How to motivate employees to return to the office? Start by addressing their “Why”
Returning to the office should never feel like a demand, it should feel like an invitation. Employees need more than mandates. They need meaning.
Motivating employees to return to the office involves articulating the benefits of in-person collaboration, career development opportunities, and improved work-life balance. Employers must convey a compelling rationale for the return, emphasising the value of face-to-face interactions and shared experiences that enhance professional growth and team dynamics.
Leaders must know what their team members want from their careers and use that to align office presence with development opportunities. If you know someone is aspiring to lead, invite them to mentor others in person. Help them see the "why."
Want your people back? Give them a reason.
What is in it for them? Communicate real, human-centred benefits:
• Professional development – faster feedback loops, mentoring, and visibility
• Career progression – be seen, heard, and sponsored
• Learning moments – spontaneous coaching, modelling behaviour, shadowing
• Connection rituals – shared coffee, walking meetings, team lunches
• Wellbeing perks – dog-friendly days, flexible childcare support, wellness spaces
Quote to reflect on:
“People are not resisting work; they are resisting being treated like parts of a machine.”
Connect their presence to their purpose
Motivation thrives when people understand how showing up supports their growth.
If a team member wants to lead, give them in-person mentoring roles.
If they value creativity, create spaces where collaboration sparks innovation.
Help them see the why, and make it personal.
Remote work: what hides beneath the surface
The invisible part of the iceberg is what wears people down. Here is what I hear from remote teams across industries:
• Reduced vulnerability
• Less spontaneous mentoring
• Increased miscommunication
• Growing stress and anxiety
• Feelings of failure and isolation
• More procrastination or overwork
• Endless video calls with little small talk
• Minute-by-minute mindset, losing big-picture vision
• A slower pace of learning and fewer growth moments
• Increased comparison (“Everyone looks productive but me”)
Remote work often dims connection and confidence. That is why many professionals, especially early-career or emotionally isolated ones, are silently struggling.
Working from the office benefits
Now, imagine what working together brings:
• Happiness and renewed energy
• A stronger sense of belonging
• Shared momentum and accountability
• Informal learning and fast problem-solving
• Real relationships, trust, and collaboration
• Celebrations, rituals, and human moments
• Reduced ambiguity and more clarity
• Support for emotional wellbeing
Do not force the return,design it with care. Make the office a space where people come to feel supported, seen, and part of something bigger than their to-do list.
Keep the conversation going
Share your own insights and experiences navigating office returns. How has your organisation adapted? What has worked, or not?
Let us keep learning from each other and creating adaptable, inclusive, and resilient workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Maud Vanhoutte
