Why Return to Office Is the Wrong Conversation

In this article we discuss:

• Productivity Shouldn't Drive RTO Mandates
• Defining Purpose-First Success
• Technology as the Bridge, not the Barrier
• Purpose-First Is Productivity-Driven

For many folks in HR, the last few years have felt like a never-ending cycle of return-to-office (RTO) debates. Weighing the pros and cons of remote, hybrid, and in-person work, often with a focus on mandates and attendance policies.

This exhaustive conversation, typically rooted in individual perspectives, makes a one-size-fits-all solution nearly impossible.

But what if we're asking the wrong question? Instead of fixating on where people work, what if we focused on why they work? The modern workplace has evolved far beyond the confines of a physical building, so employee engagement strategies should as well.

For HR leaders, the biggest challenge isn't filling office seats-it's building an organization that thrives on purpose, connection, and productivity, no matter where people are. It's time to shift the focus from place to purpose.

The modern workplace has evolved far beyond the confines of a physical building, so employee engagement strategies should as well.

Productivity Shouldn't Drive RTO Mandates

The most common argument for return-to-office mandates is a belief that in-person presence equates to productivity.

However, this is a flawed and limited perspective. While RTO might offer a false sense of immediate gratification, it often provides little real advantage and can even backfire.

In fact, research shows that almost half (42%) of companies who mandated returns have experienced higher than normal employee attrition, while 29% are struggling to recruit.

Organizations are only as successful as their strategy, and if a strategy relies on forcing employees to go into the office 5x per week as the winning mechanism, it will likely lead to disappointment.

We've all witnessed the 'physically present, mentally checked out' phenomenon. Physical presence alone doesn't guarantee engagement or productivity.

The key isn't location; it's engagement. Hours logged and desks occupied doesn't automatically translate to productivity, impact, and contributing to business goals.

A recent Gallup report found that highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability and a 17% increase in productivity. And when you think of engagement as the fuel for productivity, this creates a business imperative for HR leaders to create the right environment for employees to stay engaged, whether digitally, hybrid, or in-person.

When employees feel connected to their work and their organization, they produce better results. So,the question then becomes, how do we foster that connection and purpose in a digital world of work?

The answer lies in shifting our focus from place to purpose.

Defining Purpose-First Success

To truly realize the value in a purpose-first approach over an office-first one, we must redefine what productivity and success looks like.

This involves moving away from activity-based metrics (like email volume or time in a document) and toward outcomes-based goals. HR leaders can drive this change by partnering with cross-functional leaders to create clear, role-relevant objectives and key results (OKRs) for every team.

When people know what they're expected to achieve, they can focus on delivering value over checking off tasks-whether they are in the office, a coffee shop, or their home.

Not only does this contribute to overarching goals, but it also removes ambiguity and provides team members with visibility into the expectations that the business has for them. Reviews become straightforward, and performance reporting is confident. Everybody wins.

Carrying Culture in a Digital World

Creating a cohesive culture is often cited as a key justification for bringing everyone back to the office. The spontaneous collaboration, the team lunches and happy hours, the feeling of shared camaraderie-these are real benefits of in-office environments. Yet, company culture extends far beyond these in-office perks.

Building a purpose-driven culture requires intentionally developing new approaches that create moments of connection for everyone, regardless of their location. This can look like:

• Virtual team channels: Dedicated communication channels where teams can share personal interests, celebrate wins, or just chat about their weekend.
• Intentional in-person gatherings: Instead of mandatory office days, companies can schedule purposeful on-site events for team-building, strategic planning, or celebrating milestones. This turns the office from a daily requirement into a destination for meaningful connection.
• Employee-led initiatives: Empowering employees to organize clubs, charity events, interest groups, and social events-both virtually and in-person-builds a sense of ownership and community from the ground up.

As the new architects of the digital world of work, HR leaders should prioritize creating the right mix of frameworks and tools that allow these connections to flourish, and company culture to thrive.

Technology as the Bridge, not the Barrier

In the past, technology was often seen as a tool for communication. Now, it's shifting to be the very infrastructure of our connected workplace. In addition to its continued necessity as a communication tool, technology increasingly functions as a collaboration enabler for an organization's disparate functions. The right technology can be the great equalizer, enabling a culture of inclusion and collaboration that transcends physical location. It breaks down barriers and democratizes opportunity that once held people back.

Consider these real-world examples:

• New to the corporate world and presenting? No need to memorize your talk track; it can be right there in front of you.
• With a disability, struggling to whiteboard during a critical collaboration call? Digital whiteboards enable live participation.
• Need to lead a meeting and capture notes? AI can summarize discussions, identify next steps, and even offer improvement recommendations, allowing you to focus on leading.

The right technology can be the great equalizer, enabling a culture of inclusion and collaboration that transcends physical location.

Not only does this help in lowering the barriers to entry for individual employees, it also benefits the business. Increased employee visibility leads to stronger upward mobility. Equal access for employees with disabilities leads to greater fulfillment and productivity. Automated meeting notes means more information is retained and actioned, preventing critical details from being lost.

But the benefits of technology as a bridge don't stop there.

Integrated HR platforms can provide a single source of truth for employee data, from skills and development to performance and engagement. This provides leaders with a holistic view of their workforce, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that aren't based on proximity.

For instance, a manager can identify and support a high-potential employee based on their contributions and skills development that they've observed and discussed. This eliminates proximity bias, shifting focus squarely to an employee's potential and performance, regardless of their location.

Furthermore, new AI-powered tools and platforms are also transforming how we collaborate. Generative AI assistants can help remote teams brainstorm ideas, document meeting notes, and summarize complex information, ensuring that everyone has access to the same information and can contribute effectively. This type of technology doesn't just make remote work possible-it makes it better.

Collective intelligence? Yes, please.

These AI advancements are already expanding HR's scope to managing more than just a human workforce. AI agents are increasingly coming into the fold and creating opportunities to streamline work and increase output, making it important for HR teams to master the craft of supporting a human and digital workforce.

Purpose-First Is Productivity-Driven

Ultimately, the debate over where we work is a distraction from what really matters: how we measure value.

True success in the next era isn't measured by office attendance. It's about a fundamental rewiring of your talent strategy to be purpose-first and outcomes-focused. The first step is to replace proximity bias with an intelligent, integrated talent system that connects your business to results and your people to purpose.

This means shifting your entire HR technology stack to one that provides a single, unified view of skills, performance, and contribution, allowing leaders to manage, develop, and reward employees based on their actual impact, ensuring your people thrive from wherever they are.

Build that foundation, and you build an organization ready for anything.

The right workforce management solution can reduce turnover by 45% and save an average of $650,000 over 5 years. Download this Workday Buyer's Guide to identify the optimal system for your business today.