How to get employees to return to the office

4 ways to get employees excited about returning to the office

May 26, 2023 11:00 AM

Employers and even some employees seem to be craving the in-person experience of working from the office. To get more buy-in, employers should start getting creative.

To start, making sure your organization is an appealing place to work — it will make any request that employees come back to the office an easier sell. That means ensuring your salaries are keeping up with inflation, while also understanding your place in the corporate pecking order.

"The premier employers that have no challenges attracting and retaining talent are the employers who are going to be the most demanding in terms of requiring people to work from the office," says Tim Rowley, chief operating officer and chief technology officer at PeopleCaddie, a digital talent platform. "Smaller or less desirable employers will be in for an awakening if you can't offer the subsequent opportunities of [in-person] work."

From mentorship to office perks, here are four ways employers can approach a return-to-office mandate, without driving employees away:

Reward good work with perks and benefits

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4 things employers should know about the state of the workforce

According to global employment website Monster, 81% of workers report that their current wage has not kept up with the rising cost of living and inflation this year. If offering raises isn't in the picture, providing office perks like free lunch, boosted benefits and more PTO could help employers retain their workforce and make their organization more appealing.

Get rid of pointless meetings

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30 days, zero meetings: One company's experiment with work-life balance

While returning to the office is a good excuse to meet in person, too many meetings can backfire on productivity. One company decided to eliminate meetings altogether for a month, and what they found was boosted productivity and more intentional teamwork among employees.

Make the office appealing for Gen Z

The youngest generation is already interested in the benefits of an in-person work experience, but they want mentorship and sponsorship so they can build up a professional network. Investments into these programs can also help employers keep top talent for longer — a win-win for everyone.

Create a culture of belonging

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From personal milestones to great work, Allstate helps employees celebrate their wins

No matter where employees are working from, celebrating their wins creates a positive environment where everyone feels supported. At Allstate, their new recognition and rewards program, Applause, allows employees and managers to reward good work with points that can be cashed in for gifts. Since starting the program, 83% of employees have celebrated a peer's work every month.