It’s Getting Harder to Skirt RTO Policies Without Employers Noticing
Companies are increasingly monitoring employee adherence to corporate return-to-office (RTO) policies and enforcing these requirements more rigorously compared to the past five years, according to a forthcoming report by commercial real estate firm CBRE, as reviewed by Ars Technica.
The report is based on a survey of 184 companies, revealing that 69% are checking whether employees comply with office attendance mandates—a significant rise from 45% last year.
Moreover, 73% of companies surveyed reported that employees meet their in-office attendance expectations, up from 61% the previous year. On average, companies required being in the office 3.2 days a week, but the typical attendance was 2.9 days; for companies with 10,000+ employees, this dropped to 2.5 days.
The percentage of companies enforcing in-office policies has more than doubled from 17% last year to 37% now. This enforcement ensures compliance, though some critique monitoring techniques as overly controlling and distrustful.
For instance, Dell reportedly tracks VPN usage and badge swipes, frustrating some workers. Companies like Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase, and Meta have also tracked badge swipes, with TikTok implementing an app to monitor them. Some employers threaten ineligibility for bonuses or promotions for non-compliance.
According to Manish Kashyap, CBRE’s global president of leasing, companies are now better at implementing hybrid work policies, with improved governance and enforcement.
Yet, the remote work culture birthed by COVID-19 is leveraged by some employers for recruitment and retention. While high-profile banks enforce in-office policies, Standard Chartered allows managers and employees to decide attendance independently, emphasizing trust and individual discussions.
This approach emerges as some companies attribute in-office work to enhanced collaboration, ideation, and even revenue, contrasting studies suggesting RTO policies may lower morale and hurt retention.
Office space dynamics have also shifted. Despite a high US office vacancy rate (18.9%), 67% of companies plan to expand or maintain office space, reflecting a shift from the pandemic-induced remote work trend. However, 33% overall, and particularly larger companies (60%), aim to downsize due to hybrid work reducing space needs.
Julie Whelan, CBRE’s global head of occupier research, notes that employers now focus more on workplace experience, efficiency, and local vibrancy. While economic factors like tariffs contribute to caution in real estate decisions, many companies are proceeding with plans regardless of the uncertainty.
