In-person work can absolutely strengthen collaboration, culture, and mentorship. For some teams and moments, being together matters.
At the same time, there’s an interesting dynamic leaders are navigating: when employees are back in central offices, they’re also closer to competitors—sometimes literally next door. Visibility increases, and flexibility becomes part of how talent evaluates opportunity.
That’s why many organizations are finding balance in being intentional:
- Clear about when in-person work adds value
- Flexible where focus and autonomy matter
- Aligned on outcomes, not optics
RTW doesn’t have to be all or nothing. The strongest approaches seem to treat presence as a tool—not a mandate—and flexibility as a long-term competitive advantage.
Curious how others are striking that balance.