The global chief executive of advertising giant WPP has said employees are more likely to get a pay rise and be promoted if they come into the office.
Mark Read said companies are more successful if their staff spend more time in the office rather than working from home and that leads to employees being rewarded.
He added that while there needs to be a balance post-Covid, businesses like WPP are more "powerful" when their employees work in the office.
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Mr Read was speaking exclusively to BusinessLive to mark the official opening of the group's landmark office in Manchester city centre.
The base is located on the former Granada Studios site, Enterprise City, and will be home to eight of its agencies.
Around 550 employees will work out of the office for EssenceMediacom, Cheetham Bell, Code Computerlove, Wavemaker, Cloud Commerce Group, Kinetic, Ogilvy Health and VMLY&R Health.
WPP first revealed plans for the new office in July 2019 after signing a 15-year lease with building owner Allied London.
When it was originally announced, WPP was planning to occupy 82,000 sq ft of space and expected to open in early 2022.
Speaking to BusinessLive, Mr Read said: "We planned this campus before Covid but I don't think what we've done during that time really changes our needs.
"People in our industry like working in it because of the people, culture and the friends they make. I think our clients get better results when our people come together.
"We used to have eight offices in Manchester and now having everyone under one roof really brings the power of WPP to life.
"I sometimes like to think that our campus is like a physical manifestation of our strategy as a company. We have brands who are all together as part of one family.
"I think being here really brings that home to our clients and our people. I just don't think you're going to get those benefits working remotely.
"It's balance, we're never going to go back entirely to how we used to work before Covid but I do think over time we will see more people come in.
"I think you have to provide people with an attractive space but I think there is a narrative that companies want people in offices and people don't want to come in. I don't think that's correct. Human beings are sociable animals.
"There are times when it makes sense and people with long commutes I understand can do things more efficiently but actually there are many benefits from coming into the office such as seeing friends and separating your personal life from your business life.
"There are a lot of reasons to be in the office; most of all, frankly, I think it makes the company more successful and if that's the case you're more likely to get promoted, a pay rise and being rewarded."
His comments were echoed by UK president Karen Blackett who told BusinessLive that WPP's employees are at their most creative when they collaborate together in the office.
She said: "From our perspective and for the work that we do for clients, creativity is at the heart of what we do.
"There are some roles and functions where working remotely and on your own is absolutely the right thing to do.
"However, when I think about creative transformation and what we do for clients, I think you get the best ideas when you come together.
"Creating a beautiful building where people can come together and collectively come up with brilliant ideas is paramount and the backbone to what we do."
