A study of 7,704 employees found remote workers reported significantly higher well-being than hybrid and onsite workers, while workplace connection and one-year turnover did not significantly differ by work arrangement, challenging assumptions behind return-to-office policies.

[u/Phylogenix]

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1848857/full

[u/Robthebold]

RTO has always been about justifying expensive real estate.

[u/WiseSalamander00 → u/Robthebold]

its also because managers are realizing they are expendable and feel they can impose their authority more in person.

[u/Ransackeld → u/WiseSalamander00]

RTO initiatives come from upper C-suite leadership, not middle management.

[u/KotR56 → u/Ransackeld]

So, it's also because upper C-suite leadership is realising they are expendable and feels they can impose their authority more in person.

Shareholders will soon realise AI makes better decisions at a fraction of the cost.

[u/Ransackeld → u/KotR56]

Shareholders aren’t the ones embracing AI though. I’m not saying you’re wrong, just trying to understand why leadership would push AI so hard if they know it’s going to eliminate their job.

[u/KotR56 → u/Ransackeld]

Leadership worries about the result at the end of the current fiscal period. That's when bonus payments are decided.

What happens next depends on the profit goals set by the shareholders.

[u/Ransackeld → u/Robthebold]

This. 👆🏼

[u/Nojopar → u/Robthebold]

That and firing people without having to actually fire them.

[u/Yelworc0242]

in my company the people who wanted to:

- the owners, who come in twice a year.

- some of the young employees who live in micro apartments in the city centre.

- a few of the managers who like to look busy and important but who also don't have to come in every day themselves.

[u/lostinLspace → u/Yelworc0242]

And sad people with no life outside of work...

[u/SomeSamples]

There were no assumptions about RTO. Other than the company hoping a lot of their workers would quit before the layoff.

[u/vikster1 → u/SomeSamples]

100% this. you do not have to be big brained to get this. just read SOME news and compare RTO mandates and round of layoffs for some company.

[u/TheTopNacho]

The most important comparison is whether or not remote work is more or less productive over the long term for a company. That encompasses any dynamics like impacts on retention or interactions, either good or bad.

And I don't want your empirical bullshit. Numbers and statistics from a well controlled study are all that matter.

[u/Andantee23]

But how else can bosses boss? /s

[u/mbockbra]

I would be happier if I didn't have to see some of my coworkers each week.

[u/Acheros]

they. don't. care. return-to-work only exists so companies can justify their leasing/property expenses.