Workers never want to RTO. Will employers listen?

As the RTO vs. WFH debate rages on, employers should think carefully about why working from the office is so important to them. Here are three things to consider:

HYBRID STILL ISN'T SERVING EVERYONE: While 90% of companies planned to return to the office in some capacity by the end of 2024, just 4% of CEOs will prioritize bringing workers back to the office full-time. Hybrid work seems like a compromise, but it's more complicated than that, says Keith Giarman , president of private equity at DHR Global , a leadership consulting firm.

"Whether you're remote or not, companies should be focused on whether they have the right people in the right seats in your organization," says Giarman. "At the end of the day, if you don't activate the people who are actually doing the work [to retain them], then you will have a hard time hitting your financial objectives."

Here's how to make a final decision on where employees should work: To return to work or stay home — why that's not the right question

OFFICE WORK IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: According to a new survey by PR and marketing firm Bospar , 95% of Americans who work from home feel they engage in more eco-friendly habits than when they're in the office. Sixty-six percent of respondents say they take proactive measures to reduce their carbon footprint, 25% say they eat more locally produced food, 47% say they use more natural or energy-efficient lights and 42% say they've eliminated single-use plastics from their day-to-day routines.?

"Remote work is a great boogeyman, but when it comes to the productivity of home workers versus office workers, the only difference is office workers are contributing to the destruction of our species," says Curtis Sparrer , a principal at Bospar .

Here's how remote work can help companies reach their ESG goals: Why WFH is better for the environment

Younger workers are getting bullied by their peers: Resume Builder recently polled workers whose companies have mandated in-office attendance at least one day per week after being fully remote since the pandemic. What they found is that after returning, 30% of respondents reported a toxic company culture , while 21% said they have been victims of bullying and 28% said they have experienced "creepy" behavior — defined by the survey as actions or comments that induce discomfort or fear. For Gen Z respondents between the ages of 18 and 24, these numbers came in even higher: 38% reported they have been bullied and almost half said they have encountered creepy behavior.?

Is bullying a problem in your office? How to combat it before it gets out of control: 40% of Gen Z has been bullied during their RTO experience