Rolling out an RTO policy? How to avoid cultural corrosion

Leaders want their workforce back in the office, whether pushing for increased productivity and creativity, fostering more relationship-building opportunities, or dealing with a long-term commercial real estate lease. Yet employees, especially Gen Z employees who have grown up in a digital world and started their careers in a virtual environment, have complicated feelings about this shift. Just last year, visits to office buildings nationwide remained 36.8% below 2019 levels, and some employers have lost top talent due to their return-to-office (RTO) mandates.

To address and navigate RTO uneasiness with greater confidence and less disruption, employers must understand and validate the unique life circumstances of employees, particularly those who will likely feel the most shell-shocked by an in-person working environment. Deloitte’s research found that empathy from managers ranks second most important for Gen Zers, whereas managers rank empathy fifth. While not everyone will embrace an RTO policy, mindfulness of employee experiences, backed with tailored communications that transparently and authentically address their questions and convey why the policy ties back to the company’s mission, vision, and values, can help increase buy-in. Nearly all millennials and Gen Zers want to engage in purpose-driven assignments and work for a company with similar values.

The alternative—minimal or miscommunication about RTO policies—can lead to employees feeling unseen, unheard, and undervalued, a slippery slope towards increased employee stress, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness.

Generational tension points

Gen Z uniquely differs from other working generations like Boomers, Gen Xers, and even Millennials. This digitally-native generation has spent their life inundated with information and news. Their high stress and burnout rates aren’t fixated on one issue but a variety, such as the climate crisis, gun violence, international conflicts, student debt, social media, the high cost of living, and more. In addition, nearly all Gen Z employees started their careers virtually due to the pandemic. They didn’t have an opportunity to learn “water cooler” conversation skills, and their short-hand communication style can be attributed to social media and using real-time messaging platforms rather than email to correspond with colleagues.

Like the generations before them, Gen Z has received the “hardest to work with and manage” titles. Conversely, some Gen Z employees feel their more senior colleagues and managers don’t make them feel comfortable or welcome and have accused older colleagues of bullying them while in the office. Generational differences like these create a host of tensions between employees, with the possibility of a flare-up as RTO policies are further enforced.

Given existing perceptions (and misperceptions) across generations and the majority of employees thinking in-office mandates are a way to exert control, leaders need to carefully plan how to communicate about their policy and create a welcoming environment for all once they enforce it. By acknowledging each generation’s challenges and motivations and articulating the “why” behind returning to the office, employers can more easily navigate the inevitable pushback while taking a step toward multi-generational workplace harmony.

Reducing the disruption

An RTO policy rollout requires employers, particularly HR teams, to facilitate understanding from both sides. For instance, as a clinical psychologist, I hear from everyone’s point of view and regularly see how each person can have an entirely different experience from others in the same situation or environment. To make progress, we find common ground, shifting to little each way to orient ourselves and better understand one another.

Leaders should apply the same approach to their employees. They must understand that each generation brings different life experiences to the table. The best way to move forward with any policy change is to validate those experiences, set expectations, articulate the purpose of the policy, and then stick to it. From there, it’s the employee’s choice whether or not to accept it.

• Validate experiences and objections: Returning to the office can be a culture shock for many employees, particularly those who highly prefer working from home or who have only ever worked remotely. Some might object to the physical space; others might ask about compensation for commuting. Some might cite health reasons, physical or mental, for not wanting to be in an office; others might claim their productivity will decrease because of distractions. HR teams and leaders should prepare for pushback by mapping out potential objections and setting aside time for discussion so employees can ask questions and feel heard.

• Articulate the “why”: Whenever an employer makes a significant shift like introducing an RTO policy, they should clearly explain why they’re doing so. The “why” isn’t because it’s good for culture—that won’t suffice. Leaders need to transparently communicate the business case behind the policy and explain the benefits to the individual and the business. For example, if the RTO policy aims to improve culture, explain that a healthy culture retains employees, which is financially and operationally beneficial to the workforce and the business and helps avoid layoffs further down the road. Whichever aspects helped inform and guide the decision-making process, even if they may be difficult to hear, (reasonably) share those insights so employees can buy into the policy and reinvest their energy into the organization.

Read more: Half of workers see RTO as ‘visibility theater’, not productivity boost

• Set expectations: While listening to employees’ objections is important, it’s equally critical to hold firm on the organization’s expectations around the RTO policy. This part can quickly go sideways with the wrong communication strategy. For instance, if employers survey employees about transitioning back to the office but don’t articulate that their input may or may not be reflected in the policy, it can backfire and create distrust of the employer. PwC data shows ’86% of executives think employee trust is high, compared to 67% of employees who highly trust their employer.’ Distrust can lead to turnover or, worse, “resenteeism” (a combination of resentment and absenteeism), a growing trend among Gen Zers. To avoid this, be clear about who and what informed the RTO policy, set expectations on compliance, and, again, hold firm.

The added benefit of following these steps when rolling out a potentially disruptive policy is keeping employee stress under control. Digital-native generations are already highly stressed, but the more they feel read-in on policies that drive the organization’s mission and vision, the easier change is to digest. When people feel informed and trust their leaders, the organization can avoid cultural corrosion and increase engagement and satisfaction.

Dr. Sarah Adler is an accomplished clinical and business leader with an informed vision for remaking mental and behavioral health care in the U.S. She currently serves as founder & CEO at Wave, a mental healthcare company serving digital natives through employers and health plans. Sarah is also a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine.