Federal RTO Paradox: More Office, Less Output
Plus, Ford shifts into reverse on remote work
👋 Happy Tuesday! The US Census Bureau has just asked 150,000 companies what they're actually planning, not what they say in press releases. Result: remote work stays, the average barely changes through 2029. Turns out the data tells a different story from the headlines.
In this week’s edition:
🇺🇸 Federal RTO Efficiency
🚗 Ford’s 4-Day RTO Mandate
📊 Company Size & Flex Policies
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FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
Trump’s RTO Push Could Make the U.S. Less Efficient
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky challenges the Trump administration's federal RTO mandate by highlighting new research showing that remote work actually boosts public sector productivity by 12%. The study tracked police staff alternating between home and office settings, finding remote workers processed more cases per day without any decline in quality, primarily due to fewer workplace distractions.
Dr. Gleb argues that Republican lawmakers' claims about federal workers "shirking their duties" from home are contradicted by the data, which showed enhanced efficiency rather than reduced performance. He suggests policymakers should focus on performance outcomes rather than forcing a return to pre-pandemic office arrangements, recognizing that thoughtfully managed remote work could be a viable long-term strategy for boosting federal productivity.
THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
Ford Shifts Into Reverse on Remote Work Flexibility
Ford is calling the majority of its global salaried workforce back to the office four days a week starting September 1st, marking another step in the automaker's push to tighten workplace policies amid competitive pressures in the electric vehicle market.
The mandate affects most of Ford's white-collar employees worldwide, although many were already working three or more days per week. The company frames the change as necessary to "accelerate Ford's transformation into a higher growth, higher margin, less cyclical and more dynamic company."
Ford's crosstown rival, General Motors, attempted a similar three-day mandate in 2022 but faced significant employee backlash, backing down before implementation.
The policy puts Ford in a challenging position as Detroit automakers compete for Silicon Valley talent accustomed to flexible work arrangements while trying to instill greater urgency in their race to catch up with electric vehicle leaders like Tesla.
FLEX WORK QUICK HITS 💥
Stay ahead of the curve with our curated roundup of the trending flexible work stories making waves right now. Here's what you need to know 👇
Business Insider: Bank of Montreal mandates four-day office returns for 53k+ employees starting Sept 15, even as competitor Citibank doubles down on flexible work as a competitive advantage.
CBS News: California's state engineers union negotiated a one-year suspension of Gov. Newsom's four-day office mandate, allowing over 10k workers to continue three-day remote work.
MSN: UnitedHealth Group mandates four-day office returns for 19k Twin Cities workers starting July 7, joining other major Minnesota employers rolling back pandemic-era flexibility.
Forbes: Summer Fridays are disappearing as 84% of workers receive no summer-specific benefits, with hybrid work's year-round flexibility replacing seasonal perks.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
How Employee Count Shapes Remote Work Policies
While 70% of companies under 500 employees offer fully flexible work arrangements, only 12% of enterprises with 25,000+ employees do the same. Large companies instead favor structured hybrid models, with 70% of major enterprises choosing this approach compared to just 15% of smaller firms.
This pattern holds even when excluding the tech industry, where 52% of small non-tech companies remain fully flexible versus 12% of large non-tech firms. The data reveals that Big Tech has evolved to mirror Big Enterprise, with large tech companies shifting away from full flexibility toward more structured policies.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Brex is a financial services and technology company co-founded in 2017. Driven by the mission to reimagine financial systems, Brex provides B2B corporate cards, cash management accounts, and spend management software to its clients, with a primary focus on startups. The company, headquartered in San Francisco, California, also operates additional offices in New York and Salt Lake City.