Is Clear Kind? An RTO Comms Case Study

In financial services, you are trained to deconstruct communication. Every financial institution has to train staff to spot fraud and money laundering. After 2 decades of this type of training, I excel at questioning all types of human interaction for underlying intentions that may not be obvious.

This is a very useful transferable skill I use to break down and analyze employer communications to understand the true intention and overall strategy.

As you might suspect, I’m interested in the way employers are trying to encourage staff to come back to the office.

I noticed a long-term play recently. I will keep the company anonymous.

I want to be clear that this company did nothing illegal or untoward- the training reference is just a metaphor - a pattern I recognized. All communication is trying to influence someone - the techniques are similar. I don't mean to imply any wrongdoing on behalf of this anonymous company - it's a leadership choice they made.

About 2 months ago, I noticed an article in a top Canadian national paper. It was shared on Twitter by the communications officer but nowhere else. It doesn’t show on their website, and it was not done as a press release. Many communications executives are former journalists and have extensive ties to media. Sometimes quotes are placed deliberately to advance strategic initiatives. It’s good PR to manage reputation but always look for the overall agenda.

“We work best when we’re together in person, and that’s the general direction towards which we’re driving…but it’s going to take time and flexibility…We don’t think a hard mandate is the way to go.”

‘In the spring, less than 10 per cent of the company’s Toronto-area employees worked from the office regularly In June [company name removed] encouraged people to come into the office at least three days a week. Now, on an average day, roughly 40 per cent of local employees are in the office.

Eventually, they’d like people to come in five days a week – but first they’ll need significantly more space to accommodate everyone who has joined the company since the beginning of the pandemic. “You’d have a hard time finding a desk right now.”’

This is well-structured and strategic:

- explicit long-term intention clearly stated

- slow start but building momentum - 10% to 40% in just a few months

- understated FOMO - if you don’t come in soon, you may not get a desk

- covert announcement of plans to acquire more space

I’ve no idea if the company shared the article internally but this was a clear public statement about return to office (RTO) intentions. If this were anti-money laundering training, this would be the placement stage.

This week, the announcement came. Brand new, award-winning office building right downtown, close to services and amenities with the reasons for RTO being:

-collaboration

-innovation

-sharing ideas and best practices -speed and efficiency

This was a super positive press release, positively glowing and giddy about the office experience.

At this point we are layering.

Next up, the internal memo to staff, released in the same national newspaper.

-Strong mandate to RTO - 3 months

-all staff, 5 days a week

-no exceptions

-invitation to leave if you prefer #wfh

-layoffs announced

-CEO accepting of attrition

“The reality was half our office was empty.”

Ah, there it is. The real reason.

Loss of control.

This is integration.

So why is this important?

In my opinion, this company always wanted staff back in the office full-time. There was no soft push. It was always a hardcore full-time RTO mandate, strategically revealed as a three-act multi-channel play over months.

By my analysis, this strategy aims:

• To reduce the impact of attrition on operations over time
• To minimize severance (if you leave voluntarily, no severance)
• To minimize complaints by introducing fears about layoffs.
• To close the door on further discussions about alternate ways of working.

These type of company communications are clear and transparent.

• How do they make employees feel?
• How do they convey the company values and build the employer brand?
• Does this help retain and attract staff?

It all comes back to intention.

Would you choose to use this RTO strategy? Why or why not?