It should not be surprising at this point in the history of management to hear that people are much more willing to accept and be engaged in changes where they participated in making them. We should not expect employees to be asked to endorse management’s idea that we need to come back to the office, but helping to lay out the case as to how it is done, whether and how exceptions should be made, and crucially, what did we learn from remote work that we can carry over requires employee involvement. Even something as simple as adding evidence from employee poll results to support some aspect of the change would help. Only 24% of employers surveyed their employees about their return to office plans in 2022. Whether that figure has increased is not clear.
There are ways for organizations to ensure that they overcome resistance from employees who prefer remote work. One such approach is by using the BOND Framework, developed by us, to encourage a return to office and address employee concerns in a structured way.
Build the case for connection by shifting the narrative from “returning to office” to “enhancing career growth through workplace connections.” Show employees how in-person interactions lead to stronger professional networks, faster learning, and better career opportunities. Reinforce the business case by demonstrating how face-to-face collaboration fuels innovation, improves problem-solving, and enhances team performance. Acknowledge concerns, by addressing employee hesitations, and offering flexible ways to engage and provide solutions.
Own the expectation by setting clear reasonable guidelines for in-office participation. Define which activities — such as team meetings, brainstorming sessions, or mentoring — benefit most from in-person interaction. Ensure leadership participation and buy-in by having managers and executives actively model in-office engagement, reinforcing its importance through their presence and participation.
Normalize engagement by making office attendance feel purposeful, not forced. Make it a cultural norm, not a one-off effort. Encourage frequent, small-scale interactions that naturally build a habit of coming in. Integrate social touchpoints into workflows by encouraging collaboration in meetings, projects, and cross-functional interactions.
Demonstrate inclusion and psychological safety by ensuring that returning to the office does not feel like a rigid, one-size-fits-all policy. Employees should feel valued and heard, with flexibility in how they engage. Encourage peer-driven initiatives such as mentorship programs, knowledge-sharing lunches, or team-led social events to make participation more organic and meaningful.
The BOND Framework serves as a practical guide for organizations looking to foster a workplace environment where employees want to be present, rather than feel forced to be there. By shifting the focus from mandates to meaningful interactions, companies can highlight the value of in-person collaboration for individual career growth and team cohesion as well as business need. Clear expectations, combined with leadership commitment, help to create a sense of purpose around office attendance, making it a natural and beneficial choice rather than a mandated requirement.
This article Is your office dead? Put BOND on the case is featured on Big Think.
