Stricter Enforcement of Return-to-Office Policies in 2025

In 2025, companies are increasingly enforcing return-to-office (RTO) policies more rigorously than in the past five years. A report set to be released by a renowned commercial real estate firm reveals a significant increase in orporate monitoring efforts.

The report, based on a survey of 184 companies, highlights that 69% of employers now scrutinize employee adherence to RTO policies, up from 45% the previous year. Additionally, 73% of employers report that employees are meeting in-office attendance expectations, an increase from 61% in the previous year. While the average required in-office days is 3.2 per week, actual attendance lags slightly at 2.9 days.

This shift towards stricter policy enforcement is evident with 37% of companies now enforcing RTO policies, a significant rise from 17% a year earlier. Despite these actions being seen as a move to ensure compliance and fairness among employees, it has sparked criticism for potentially overburdening employees and demonstrating a lack of trust.

Companies such as Dell have adopted measures to track VPN usage and badge swipes. Other tech giants and financial institutions like Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase, and Meta have also implemented systems to track employee office attendance. This has sometimes extended to withholding bonuses and promotions to ensure compliance.

According to CBRE's global president of leasing, companies have refined their policies to permit hybrid work structures and flexibility, improving both implementation and governance. While some corporations rely on RTO to boost collaboration and productivity, others capitalize on remote work to attract and retain talent.

For example, Standard Chartered allows managers and employees to decide on the necessity of office attendance, emphasizing trust and adult responsibility. This is contrary to firms enforcing strict in-office presence to drive innovation and revenue, yet studies continue to highlight the possible negative impacts of RTO policies on employee morale and retention.

In the wake of the pandemic, companies faced speculation of a significant decline in demand for office space. However, the survey suggests a shift with 67% of companies planning to expand or maintain their office space size, despite a high vacancy rate in offices. Larger companies with over 10,000 employees are noted to lean towards reducing space due to increased hybrid work models.

CBRE's global head of occupier research notes a heightened focus on the quality of the workplace experience, shared seating efficiency, and vibrant locations. Despite economic uncertainties, there is a strong readiness among firms to make strategic office space decisions.