When RTO Mandates Backfire
Plus, 9 ways async communication improves team productivity
👋 Happy Tuesday! According to Unispace research, 42% of companies with enforced return-to-office mandates experienced higher employee attrition than expected. This significant attrition rate suggests a critical miscalculation by employers, who underestimated employees' attachment to the flexible work arrangements established during the pandemic.
In this week’s edition:
🏢 Working Through Where to Work From
📊 Most Popular Structured Hybrid Models
☁️ How Async Comms Improves Team Productivity
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
Working Through Where to Work From
Amazon's mandate for five-day office attendance in 2025 spotlights a contentious trend in corporate America that contradicts workplace data. A University of Pittsburgh study found that 99% of companies implementing return-to-office policies faced drops in employee satisfaction, while 42% saw higher-than-expected turnover rates.
While some executives champion in-person work for its "serendipitous interactions" and collaborative benefits, the reality is more complex. Modern offices with headphone-wearing employees focused on screens may not deliver these promised advantages. Meanwhile, technological solutions already enable effective remote collaboration and communication.
Before mandating office returns, companies should clearly define their objectives beyond vague improvements and consider following Dropbox's innovative approach: reimagining offices as flexible collaboration spaces where teams can choose how best to utilize them. The evidence suggests that forcing a return to pre-pandemic work models might cost organizations their talent rather than enhance their performance.
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 👇
Forbes: Tech leads the way in remote work flexibility, with 96% of Technology companies offering work location flexibility, followed by Insurance and Financial Services.
Axios: Denver and Boulder are bucking the national return-to-office trend, with remote work rates hovering above 22% compared to the national average of 13.8%.
Kuna: The British government, reversing its stance on mandatory office attendance, now plans to promote remote work across the UK, citing evidence that flexible arrangements boost rather than harm productivity.
The Hill: Government data contradicts Senator Ernst's criticism of federal remote work, showing benefits in productivity and costs while suggesting opportunities for further savings.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
Min Days/Week Remains the Most Popular Structured Hybrid Model
Minimum Days / Week is becoming increasingly dominant for companies choosing a Structured Hybrid approach to the office. 79% of Structured Hybrid companies in the United States have a Minimum Days / Week model, up from 74% in Q3 2024.
More broadly, minimums are a popular approach. 89% of Structured Hybrid companies have some minimum (either measured in days or percentage of time).
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
9 Ways Async Communication Can Improve Team Productivity
The rise of remote work has transformed asynchronous communication from a simple convenience into an essential business tool. While "async" communication has evolved from voicemail and faxes to today's digital platforms, the pandemic has dramatically accelerated its adoption. Despite some resistance from leaders, particularly those of older generations, asynchronous voice and video messages offer significant advantages beyond replacing traditional meetings.
In his article, Phil Kirschner highlights that the true value of async communication lies in its multiple uses – from enabling flexible scheduling and fostering cross-team collaboration to serving as valuable documentation. Modern async tools, exemplified by Loom's recent $1 billion acquisition by Atlassian, have become fundamental to building more efficient, inclusive, and globally connected workplaces.
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: How Sodexo’s Business is Evolving to Support a Hybrid Work World | Henrik Jarleskog
In this episode of Flex Perspectives, Rob Sadow is joined by Henrik Jarleskog. Henrik is an executive responsible for the Future of Work at Sodexo, one of the twenty largest employers in the world.
Check out the full episode to learn:
Sodexo’s journey to flexible work and how the shift towards more dynamic office usage impacted business
How Sodexo partners with and advises clients to maximize the experience of the office
Where he sees hybrid work headed in the coming years
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Lendable is a UK-based online personal loans platform founded in 2014 that offers a fast and seamless loan process that harnesses technology and data to make personal finance customer-friendly and hassle-free. The mission of Lendable is to bring personal finance into the digital age, intending to establish borrowing money as a straightforward, smooth, and convenient experience.
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