Five Years After the Pandemic: The State of Remote Work
The COVID-19 pandemic changed how, why, and where we work.
Five years later, a growing number of CEOs are pushing for a reset.
The future of remote work isn’t just a debate about logistics or benefits. At this critical moment for the global economy, CEOs need to resolve the tensions between the corporate benefits of in-office work and employee preferences for flexibility so that their people and processes remain aligned on Making BIG Happen.
The Corporate Push: Why Leaders Want Employees Back
Starbucks now requires its corporate employees to be in the office four days per week. The company has also directed some employees to relocate and work out of the company’s headquarters in Seattle. Those unwilling to make the move have been offered severance packages.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has instituted a full five-day in-office mandate for his managing directors. Employees who don’t want to come back are being let go.
Amazon corporate employees are required to work in-office for five days per week.
Three very different companies, all offering very different services and products to a wide variety of customers and employing a wide variety of workers.
What unites return-to-work mandates at these and other BIG firms is a belief in the power of old-fashioned, in-office interaction.
Zoom meetings have never been able to replicate the proverbial “water cooler moment” where two employees from opposite sides of the office have a chat that leads to collaboration, innovation, and problem solving. Executives and team leaders can’t drop in virtually on subordinates to rally the troops, offer support, and reinforce accountability. And adding more video chats and phone calls to remote workers’ schedules turns culture-building into another chore on their to-do lists.
Yes, CEOs know that return-to-work mandates won’t be popular, and some employees will push back. But they believe that having everyone in the same place, working together, is a strategic imperative that will strengthen the company and create BIG competitive advantages. And they’re willing to tolerate some short-term unhappiness to get their most valuable assets back under one roof.
The Employee Perspective: Why Many Resist a Full Return
WFH during the pandemic caused many workers to completely rethink what work-life balance means.
Despite the myriad stresses that the pandemic created and the logistical challenges of turning the family dining room into a home office, workers found that they could execute many key tasks without a two-hour daily commute. Instead of feeling pressured to work through lunch, they could close their laptop and grab a bite with their spouse and children. If they needed to run to the grocery store, they didn’t feel like a supervisor was watching and judging them. Work on projects could be broken up into smaller, more manageable chunks throughout the day instead of gritting teeth through a traditional 9-to-5.
The pandemic also forced employers and employees alike to address mental health and burnout issues that had been plaguing companies for decades. Conversations around COVID made employees feel more free to take breaks and open up to coworkers, supervisors, and their spouses. By removing a commute from their schedules, employees could add exercise, meditation, and learning to their daily routines. Some workers even look back with fondness on how the pandemic gave them a chance to participate more in parenting and deepen their relationships with their spouses.
It’s understandable that many remote workers don’t want to alter the routines they’ve settled into during the last five years. They may feel more balanced and fulfilled now than they did before COVID. They might also dread the time and financial costs associated with commuting, meals, and a formal office wardrobe.
Flexible work arrangements have also reduced the professional sacrifices that women have traditionally made to raise children. A 2025 study from King’s College London’s Global Institute for Women’s Leadership suggests that return-to-office mandates risk undoing progress in workplace gender equality. “Proximity bias” might further un-level the playing field at companies that have limited return to work mandates; workers who stay remote may feel like they’re not in the company’s inner circle when it’s time for major strategic decisions and promotions.
What’s at Stake
From the perspectives of both CEOs and employees: everything.
CEOs who believe in return-to-work are willing to buy out employees.
Employees who value flexibility above all else are willing to quit.
CEOs need to build bridges between these seemingly intractable positions:
Navigating the Divide
As you redefine your company’s return-to-work or work-from-home policies, be sure to:
Embrace the Model that Works Best for Your Firm: Your company isn’t Starbucks or Amazon. Don’t treat another business’ model as a one-size-fits-all solution, and don’t use another company’s policies to justify your choices.
Focus on Outcomes, Not Presence: Physical attendance metrics are the most lagging indicator imaginable. Measure and manage the actionable steps that are leading your company towards its targets, not who’s where when the targets get hit.
Address Equity Concerns: Be mindful of how mandates impact different groups, especially women and caregivers. Give more flexibility for personal time to all employees without making them feel like they’re using up a limited resource. And consider adding volunteer, sabbatical, and educational allowances to your benefits package.
Communicate Transparently: COVID helped many CEOs improve their EQ leadership. Use those skills to listen to employees, involve them in decisions, and articulate the reasons behind policy changes.
Invest in Technology and Training: Equip your teams to collaborate effectively, regardless of where they’re working. And if you are bringing key talent back into the office, make sure they have the equipment and support they need to keep excelling. Talk to your Chief AI Officer about upgrades that could minimize routine tasks so your best people are free to do what they do best.
Working Together Towards BIG
The pandemic forced work-from-home into the corporate mainstream.
Today, CEOs can make choices. But whether they bring everyone back to the office, strengthen their decentralized workforce, or find some hybrid middle ground, those choices all come with challenges.
The most effective solutions will find a balance between business needs and employee expectations that’s unique to each company. Rather than “mandating” from on high, CEOs should build consensus around the best work policies to boost productivity, maintain equality, deepen engagement, and Make BIG Happen.
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