Happy holidays to the remote workforce! In the latest Flex Report by software firm Scoop, industry experts predict a significant shift in the approach of CEOs towards in-office mandates. According to Annie Dean, head of Team Anywhere at Atlassian and a long-time flexible work advocate, executives might finally abandon efforts to enforce mandated in-office days by the end of 2024.
Dean’s prediction resonates with the growing consensus that remote work flexibility is a priority, as echoed by employees who often vote with their feet. While smaller companies, with fewer than 500 employees, tend to let workers choose whether to go in, larger corporations, especially those with over 25,000 employees, often enforce mandates.
Despite the prevalence of in-office mandates, a recent Atlassian survey of Fortune 500 executives suggests that low productivity remains a prime challenge, with 91% of leaders mandating some in-office presence per week. However, only one in three executives with such mandates believes they have a positive effect on productivity.
Cara Allamano, head of people operations at Lattice, a remote-first management software firm, supports this viewpoint. She argues that return-to-office (RTO) mandates won’t provide a quick fix to productivity and engagement issues. Instead, she suggests that companies focus on evaluating their overall approach to performance and engagement and align strategies accordingly.
As the debate over remote work continues, the key cultural touchpoint in the coming year may not be where work happens, but how work gets done. Dean has maintained this perspective for over a decade, emphasizing efficient processes, innovative leadership, and well-run meetings as defining factors for successful companies.
Allamano believes that the real draw for workers will be companies that prioritize flexibility. A recent Lattice report indicates that 48% of employees would consider leaving a great job if it lacks a satisfying flexible work policy. This aligns with FlexJobs data, which suggests that many are willing to take a pay cut for the opportunity to work remotely.
Robert Sadow, CEO and co-founder of Scoop, doesn’t anticipate a complete disappearance of mandates among large companies in 2024. Instead, he expects a shift towards giving workers more flexibility in implementing mandates, allowing teams to decide how to use in-person time.
In the evolving landscape of work, the focus seems to be shifting from where work occurs to how companies can foster efficient processes, innovative leadership, and flexibility, making 2024 a year where CEOs may reconsider their stance on in-office mandates in pursuit of a more productive and engaged workforce.
