Return-to-office trends are mixed as some workers heed the call ? and some call it quits

Six recent stories on RTO show how work arrangements are evolving over time.

Jan. 12, 2024 - HR Dive
Emilie Shumway, Editor

People pass a sign for JPMorgan Chase & Co. at its headquarters in Manhattan on Oct. 2, 2012, in New York City. More workers are being called back to the office in 2024.

We're now a few weeks into 2024, and early post-pandemic predictions of widespread hybrid and remote work seem to have deflated. Though there are still significantly more workers in remote arrangements than there were pre-pandemic, many companies are calling workers back in to the office full time ? with even more expected to do so by the end of the year, according to a Resume Builder report from August 2023.?

The effects of this push appear mixed; some workers seem to be following through on threats to quit if their remote arrangement was rescinded, according to HR pros who have reported retention issues. But others are acquiescing to management's demands, even if they're not thrilled about it.?

Only time will tell if more companies begin to walk back hard-line approaches to RTO, like Atlanta-based Global Payments did.?

Read on for more recent trends in RTO.