Requiring RTO? Previously remote employees expect extra perks

• Key Insight: Learn how targeted on-site perks shift RTO from compliance to engagement.
• What's at Stake: Lost retention and collaboration if employers fail to incentivize in-person attendance.
• Supporting Data: 76% of formerly remote workers expect or would welcome new workplace perks.
  Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review

With return-to-office mandates on the rise, workers expect employers to make in-person work as appealing as possible. 

According to a recent survey from food-tech company exCater, 76% of previously remote workers say they either expect or would welcome new perks when their work arrangement changes. Yet nearly half of employees who transitioned from remote to hybrid or fully on-site say they didn't receive any additional benefits following RTO mandates, leading 27% to consider looking for a new job. If employers want to keep employees engaged and productive, they should consider offering meaningful incentives to make the shift worthwhile.

"Employees will show up in person, but are more positive about it if you give them a good reason," said Robert Kaskel, VP of people at ezCater. "The office needs to give them something their home setup can't — community and a sense that their time there is valued."

Read more: RTO mandates aren't flexible enough for employees

According to Kaskel, employers can encourage employees to return to the office by focusing on two key strategies, starting with workplace flexibility. Fifty-nine percent of workers say a hybrid schedule is their preferred way of working, with hybrid-optional arrangements — where employees choose which days to come into the office — being the most popular (37%). At the same time, 80% of hybrid and remote workers say certain perks would motivate them to spend more time on-site, with food-related benefits ranking just behind flexible work arrangements as a top incentive.

Food perks are strengthening productivity and workplace relationships. According to ezCater's findings, which surveyed 1,002 full-time employees across several industries who work fully on-site, fully remote or in a hybrid model, 67% said a daily or weekly employer-provided meal would make them more productive, while 60% say sharing a meal with a colleague makes them more comfortable asking for a work-related favor. These benefits are especially appealing to younger employees: 66% of Gen Z workers expect recurring meal perks, and nearly half (48%) say they're more likely than older generations to be motivated to work on-site because of them.

"Providing perks and scenarios where folks come into the office helps in building relationships and collaborating," Kaskel said.  "Creating an environment for them to come together is what drives the moments that matter."

Read more: Flexible work is now a core benefit as burnout and RTO resistance rise

Incentives boost productivity

Employees increasingly see the office as a place for collaboration rather than individual desk work, with 57% viewing it as a hub for connection, according to ezCater's survey. However, workplace relationships are driving that impact. Seventy-nine percent of employees say workplace friendships lead to better company outcomes, while 69% say socializing with colleagues boosts their productivity and loyalty. But with workplace friendships on the decline, employers can use perks to create opportunities for connection, helping strengthen engagement, retention and overall performance.

For example, ezCater regularly provides free lunches where employees are encouraged to go sit and chat with colleagues or execs and get to know each other at a deeper level. In addition, the food-tech platform offers a sabbatical program where employees can take four weeks off of fully paid leave after five years of tenure. Combined, both strategies have yielded great results for ezCater, Kaskel said.

"This is no longer just a nice thing to do, but something that leaders have to do in order to support employees in building connections and boosting engagement," Kaskel said. "It all kind of revolves around an ecosystem — one where incentives positively impact all kinds of business outcomes."