Bryan Arthur
Managing Partner, Canada; Managing Partner, Global Energy
Return-to-office (RTO) policies continue to reshape the workplace, yet employee support remains uneven and highly dependent on how organizations communicate and implement mandates, according to DHR Global’s 2026 Workforce Trends Report.
The report finds that while 38% of employees say RTO mandates have directly affected them over the past two years, only 34% fully support their organizations’ approaches – and nearly 23% somewhat or strongly oppose them.
The findings make it clear that RTO is a leadership decision that tests trust, transparency, regional nuance, and organizational strategy.
Employee Support is Far From Guaranteed
Employees across regions respond to RTO policies differently. In Asia, nearly half say RTO mandates have affected them directly, while roughly one-third report the same in Europe and North America.
At the same time, North America registers the strongest opposition, with resistance far exceeding levels seen in Europe and Asia. These differences stem from more than policy mechanics. Leaders in some regions still tie structured in-person work to accountability and performance. In others, employees now expect flexibility as a standard feature of modern employment – especially knowledge workers who have been productive in hybrid models.
When executives impose blanket mandates without explaining their reasoning, they erode engagement, particularly in markets where employees already view flexibility as a baseline expectation. Employees want leaders to define why in-person time matters. If organizations fail to articulate the purpose behind RTO requirements, support often declines quickly.
Job Level Divides Are Deep
Support for RTO policies is also sharply divided by seniority. While 61% of C-suite leaders fully support their organizations’ RTO approaches, that number drops below 40% across most other levels, including just 30% of entry-level staff and 19% of associates.
Younger professionals, many of whom began their careers in hybrid or remote environments, may have limited experience with pre-pandemic office culture. As a result, the perceived benefits of in-person work aren’t as self-evident to them.
This gap signals a leadership communication challenge. When executives view office presence as foundational to culture and performance, but early-career employees don’t, organizations must build alignment intentionally.
From Talent Advisers:
What Leaders Need to Know
Choice & Clarity Drive Acceptance
When asked what would make in-office days more manageable, employees prioritized:
- The ability to choose which days to go in (42%)
- Better in-office perks (41%)
- Clearer purpose or reasoning behind in-office days (39%)
- A quieter, more focused in-office environment (37%)
- More transparency about the future of RTO policies (37%)
- A shorter commute (27%)
DHR and Jobplex’s partners across regions are seeing these trends firsthand in their work with boards and executive teams.
1. Anchor RTO in Purpose & Autonomy
Bryan Arthur, Managing Partner, Canada; Managing Partner, Global Energy
Organizations that secure strong employee buy‑in approach RTO with clarity, flexibility, and purpose. They invite employee input into how RTO is structured and provide autonomy, particularly around choosing in-office days. When leaders fail to define the business rationale, employees disengage. When policies feel arbitrary, resistance intensifies.
Effective organizations go further than announcing expectations. They connect office presence to measurable business outcomes. They explain how in-person time accelerates decision-making, enhances client relationships, supports mentoring, or fuels innovation. When leaders draw a clear line between presence and performance, employees view RTO as strategic rather than symbolic.
RTO in Action: What Works
In the energy sector, one client organization reframed RTO as an enhancement to collaboration and development. Rather than imposing rigid office days, leadership codesigned team‑based schedules with employees and paired in‑office time with meaningful collaboration rituals.
Leaders communicated transparently about why presence mattered for innovation and mentoring. This approach – combining purpose with autonomy – improved acceptance significantly.
Bryan Arthur
High‑performing leaders and candidates evaluate flexibility through the same lens. They look for intentional hybrid structures that are tied to meaningful outcomes such as collaboration, client engagement, and coaching. They assess whether autonomy over scheduling, transparency about expectations, and clarity about the future work model exist in practice – not just on paper.
Flexibility that supports performance and trust – rather than signaling control – differentiates employers in competitive talent markets.
2. Align Office Presence With Industry & Culture
Supriya Dikshit, Managing Partner, Asia Pacific Industrial Practice; Managing Partner, Singapore
Employees increasingly prefer hybrid models or the flexibility to work from home, and many are reluctant to return to the office. Organizations are adopting varied approaches.
Effective RTO strategies start with a clear understanding of industry requirements and specific job functions, supported by a compelling rationale for on‑site presence. Expectations differ across countries and work cultures. Some roles require closer supervision to maintain output quality, while others depend on interdependent workflows that benefit from frequent in‑person collaboration. Transparency, fairness, and a clearly defined value proposition shape a positive on‑site experience.
Communication is critical. Leaders must set expectations for in‑office frequency and explain the purpose behind it. Visible leadership presence reinforces the message and influences employee perception.
RTO in Action: What Works
One client, a global biopharmaceutical company, paired its RTO approach with progressive policies, including enhanced travel allowances for women, childcare support, and expanded paternity leave.
Over five years, these initiatives doubled diversity ratios across functions, including women in leadership roles. The CHRO noted that leadership commitment to progressive HR practices, a supportive environment, and robust growth opportunities were central to this success.
Supriya Dikshit
Employees respond positively when workplace culture promotes belonging, accountability, and professional growth. Leadership commitment to mentoring, coaching, and recognition builds trust. The physical environment also matters. Modern spaces with updated technology, collaboration zones, and thoughtful amenities enhance the in-office experience.
Senior leaders who are evaluating new roles value flexibility and hybrid structures. Many manage teams across time zones and travel frequently, making flexibility essential.
3. Design Flexibility Around Real Lives
Sara Garlick Lundberg, Managing Partner, North America – Nonprofit
Today’s workforce operates in a different reality than when traditional office norms emerged. Nearly half of all families are dual‑earner households, and many professionals balance caregiving, family responsibilities, and demanding careers.
Rigid mandates disproportionately affect parents – especially mothers – and employees who care for aging family members. Organizations that recognize this reality and reflect it in policy design outperform peers in recruitment and retention.
High-performing leaders want clear standards paired with flexibility when life requires it. One client maintained a strict RTO structure due to operational demands, yet told staff plainly, “I’m a parent and I know that life happens.” That clarity and empathy reinforced trust within a structured model.
RTO in Action: What Works
Many nonprofit clients are experimenting with RTO models by testing two- to four-day in-office schedules, gathering feedback, and refining their approaches based on results.
One organization is even reducing in‑person requirements while measuring performance outcomes.
When leaders involve employees in these decisions, retention and talent attraction improve.
Sara Garlick Lundberg
Professionals expect leaders to trust them to manage their time and align schedules with peak productivity. They assess hybrid models based on transparency. They also evaluate whether the culture supports flexibility in practice.
Senior nonprofit candidates increasingly ask pointed questions about culture and leadership dynamics. In a period of rapid change, those cultural signals carry as much weight as the formal policy itself.
4. Tie RTO to Outcomes & Everyday Experience
John Martin, Managing Partner
Organizations that earn strong buy-in for RTO define the purpose behind in‑office expectations and link it to tangible employee and business benefits. Leaders who succeed explain how in-person time enhances collaboration, accelerates decision-making, and improves coaching and development. Rather than imposing rigid mandates, they work with teams to establish practical norms that align with workflow and performance goals.
In today’s talent market, top candidates prioritize choice. They want the flexibility to manage how and where they work, provided they deliver strong results. High performers seek hybrid models that offer structure without excessive prescription, with clear guidance on which days matter and why. They expect autonomy, trust from leadership, and the ability to manage personal responsibilities without stigma.
RTO in Action: What Works
One client approached RTO by pairing required office days with purposeful activities – leadership town halls, team problem‑solving sessions, and structured mentoring. That design made on-site time feel intentional rather than obligatory.
The organization also invested in the overall office experience, ensuring that in-person days were productive, social, and supported by visible leadership. When employees see that office time adds value, acceptance increases.
John Martin
When evaluating employers, candidates examine how clearly leaders communicate RTO policies, whether the culture respects professional boundaries, and whether senior leaders model flexibility in their own behaviors. Organizations that demonstrate consistency between policies and practices strengthen their ability to retain high-performing talent.
5. Design In-Person Work for Leadership & Performance
Sarah Price, Principal, Leadership Consulting
Many leaders believe in-person environments boost business performance. Physical proximity can accelerate alignment, deepen relationships, and support leadership development in ways that are difficult to replicate virtually. That belief continues to influence RTO policy decisions.
At the same time, requiring presence doesn’t create value. When employees commute only to replicate remote days on video calls or work independently at their desks, frustration follows. The gap between leadership expectations and employee experience often drives resistance.
High-performing leaders and candidates assess flexibility through the lens of performance and accountability. They focus less on mandated days and more on whether expectations are clear, outcomes are measurable, and standards are applied consistently. Flexibility earns credibility when it aligns with visible results.
Context matters. In B2C sectors such as retail, physical presence remains integral to the business model. Leaders understand that reality and evaluate fairness – whether expectations apply consistently across roles – and tie directly to business value.
RTO in Action: What Works
The differentiator is intentional design. Organizations that navigate RTO well define a clear purpose for in-person engagement and align it to collaboration, quick decision-making, mentorship, and exposure to enterprise-level thinking. They structure office time around activities that benefit from proximity rather than assuming presence provides benefits.
A longer-term leadership dynamic is also in play. As AI absorbs routine work, the capabilities that distinguish senior leaders – judgment, influence, and relationship-building – become increasingly valuable. These skills develop through observation and real-time interaction. In-person environments can accelerate that growth and improve the long-term talent pipeline.
Sarah Price
Culture and inclusion remain central. Leaders determine whether hybrid structures preserve connection and full participation, particularly for remote employees. Organizations that intentionally use technology and leadership practices to maintain engagement signal discipline and future readiness.
What This Means for Leaders
This year’s report makes it clear that when leaders explain why in-office time matters, connect it to growth and collaboration, and give employees a voice in implementation, support rises.
RTO policies ultimately function as a barometer of organizational culture. Leaders who connect flexibility with accountability – and clarity with empathy – will strengthen engagement and retain top talent in an increasingly competitive market.
Workforce Trends Report 2026
From what drives employee engagement and burnout to the impact of AI and culture, get the information executives need to pave a path for success in our 2026 Workforce Trends Report.
About the Research
DHR surveyed 1,500 white-collar, desk-based professionals who are proficient in English and aged 21 or older across North America, Europe, and Asia, evenly distributed across regions. The report draws on these responses to examine how AI adoption is shaping employee productivity, skill development, and communication.