Bosses are using RTO mandates as a way to ‘blame employees as a scapegoat for bad firm performance,’ new research finds

Two colleagues in the middle of a dynamic brainstorm or a lively discussion, an argument, gesturing actively, as if trying to debate or open one’s mind. Both are sitting at the wooden table, using laptops. A productive meeting, ideas flowing in a casual work setting. Office conflicts, requiring professional soft skills, or relationship difficulties in daily life. Unrecognizable people (Credit: Yana Iskayeva - Getty Images)

The modern workplace, at least in the past three years, may very well have been defined by companies’ varying efforts to haul their unwilling people back to their desks. 

So called return-to-office (RTO) mandates haven’t—by and large—moved the needle on actual in-person work rates, despite the widespread hemming and hawing. Office occupancy rates in major metro areas, per building security firm Kastle Systems’ weekly tracker, have held mostly steady at just shy of 50% since vaccines were made widely available.