9 in 10 companies will have returned to office by 2025, survey reveals
Only 6% of companies say they have no plans to require any employees to RTO.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about numerous changes in workplace flexibility with many companies transitioning to fully remote work alternatives. Now, despite resistance from some employees, the majority of companies are pushing for return-to-office (RTO) mandates in 2025.
According to a new survey by Resume Builder, 9 in 10 companies will have returned to office by 2025. The survey results are based on data from 764 companies that transitioned to a fully remote work model during the pandemic.
Resume Builder found that 64% of companies say that they have already mandated RTO and those who haven’t plan on increasing required days in-office by next year. Beyond improved productivity, organizations argue that in-person work improves company culture, employee relationships, revenue and retention rates.
Among companies that have already returned to in-person work, 34% started requiring employees to return to the office in 2022 and 23% began setting mandates in 2021. Only 6% of companies say they have no plans to require any employees to RTO.
While the majority of organizations offer a hybrid work schedule, there is still much debate about the optimal number of in-office days. The survey found that a large portion of companies – 30% – require employees to be in the office full-time.
For companies that do not require their employees to return to the office, 72% say they aim to maintain high employee satisfaction, 70% want to minimize or eliminate office-related costs and 53% said that employees are more productive when working remotely.
Related: Half of workers see RTO as ‘visibility theater’, not productivity boost
“In recent years, companies have been attempting to bring employees back to the office, often citing improved productivity (though not definitively proven), increased revenue, and a more cohesive company culture as reasons,” said Stacie Haller, Chief Career Advisor.
“However, the optimal in-office model remains in flux. The debate over the ideal number of in-office days has been ongoing, with many organizations now settling on a three-day workweek in the office. Some companies have adopted a wait-and-see approach, closely monitoring the evolving workforce landscape to ensure they can still attract and train top talent in a competitive job market.”