The ongoing friction between workers and employers on return-to-office policies (RTO) is causing many businesses to lose talented employee. Now, 25% of companies plan to order employees to return to the office in 2025, according to a ResumeBuilder.com survey of 756 business leaders.
Companies with established RTO policies since 2021 were quizzed to gauge how their policy might change in 2025. Of the 51 Black business leaders polled, 41% report their company will boost or maintain the number of days employees are required in the office in 2025.
Some 96% of the Black business leaders believe employees should be in the office to support RTO mandates, while 75% report that their company provides incentives to encourage workers to RTO. Eighty-eight percent of the group said their firm lost talent due to RTO requirements.
Entirely 50% of companies demanded workers to be in the office four or more days a week. The survey stated most companies now require employees to work in person three days per week, with nearly 40% of respondents selecting this option.
In a news release, Resume Builder’s Resume and Career Strategist Julia Toothacre pointed out reasons companies are losing workers due to RTO policies.
“People may have moved and aren’t willing to move again to keep their position. It’s also possible that there are familial responsibilities that require a flexible schedule or the need to be at home. Some people also like working from home or remotely and don’t want to return to an office environment.”
So, what is fueling companies’ plans to increase the number of required in-office days for employees? Improving productivity (86%), a desire to enhance company culture (71%), a wish to better employee well-being (57%), and retention (55%) were cited as the top reasons.
The survey indicated that 70% of companies don’t offer incentives to encourage workers to RTO..
“Companies should absolutely be providing incentives to get employees back into the office, if that’s what they want, especially financial incentives,” Toothacre said. “With the rising cost of living, it’s more economical for professionals to work from home, so any additional financial compensation will help employees feel more comfortable returning to the office.”
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