IRS RTO Plans Stumble
Plus, register today for Running Remote 2025 conference in Austin, TX
👋 Happy Tuesday! According to new data from the Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes (SWAA) and their monthly WFH Research, even among traditional office workers who commute 5+ days weekly, over 1 in 4 (26.8%) work from home on Fridays, while Wednesdays show the second-highest remote work rate at 17.6%, and Mondays have the lowest rate at just 9.3%.
In this week’s edition:
💰 IRS RTO Challenges
📊 UK Flexibility Trends
🏃♂️ Running Remote 2025
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
IRS RTO Issues: Not Enough Desks
The IRS's abrupt return-to-office mandate hit a predictable roadblock this week: insufficient workspace for its 20,000 customer service employees. The agency, which had ordered staff back to fulfill President Trump's pledge to end remote work for federal employees, postponed the directive just one day before implementation when reality set in.
This planning failure exemplifies the disconnect between political mandates and practical implementation. The IRS has expanded its workforce by roughly 20,000 employees since 2021 under the Inflation Reduction Act yet has failed to account for basic logistics when ordering everyone back simultaneously during peak tax season.
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 👇
Fast Company: Research shows workers in remote-friendly jobs now spend 2.3 days weekly working from home (46% of time), representing a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels of 7%.
Business Insider: Amazon employees report mixed experiences with the company's five-day RTO mandate, with some feeling more connected and productive in-office while others have quit due to commute stress, caregiving responsibilities, and work-life balance struggles.
Yahoo Finance: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon dismisses RTO complaints as coming from "people in the middle" while defending the bank's five-day office mandate.
NBC Philadelphia: Wharton psychologist Adam Grant warns that "boreout"—the state of feeling underwhelmed, lethargic, and disengaged at work—is becoming increasingly common in remote and hybrid settings.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
UK Flexibility Trends
Last year, we took a deep dive look at flexibility trends in the UK corporate landscape. Our research revealed that 72% of UK employers offer work location flexibility, with only 28% requiring full-time office attendance. Among those offering flexibility, 44% implement Structured Hybrid models with specific in-office expectations, while 28% provide Full Flexibility, allowing employees complete autonomy over their work location.
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
Save your Spot for Running Remote 2025!
Save your spot at Running Remote 2025, the premier conference for distributed work, happening April 29-30 at Fair Market in Austin, TX.
This fast-growing event brings together over 50 expert speakers including Nick Bloom (Professor of Economics), Prithwiraj "Raj" Choudhury (Lumry Family Associate Professor), Ryan Anderson (VP of Global Research & Planning), and Erin Grau (Co-founder & COO).
Attend to network with C-level executives and HR leaders while gaining actionable insights on company culture, hiring practices, effective communication strategies, and team engagement approaches across 40+ valuable sessions, with SHRM certification credits available for HR professionals. Register now to transform how your organization approaches remote work in 2025 and beyond!
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: Team Agreements, Outcomes, and Asynchrony: The Future of Work Trifeca | Brian Elliott
In this episode of Flex Perspectives, Rob Sadow sat down with Brian Elliott, Co-Founder of Future Forum and author of "How The Future Works,".
Check out the full episode to learn:
Why top-down return-to-office mandates don't work and how team-level agreements are a more impactful approach.
How to transition from managing based on "inputs" to "outcomes".
Tips for reducing meetings and working asynchronously.
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Sienna Senior Living is a leading provider of seniors’ living options in Canada with a mission to help residents live fully, every day. With its headquarters in Markham, Ontario, Sienna Senior Living operates across key markets in Canada, owning and managing over 70 seniors' living residences.
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