Return-to-office mandates can’t fix stagnant post-COVID worker productivity

More than two-thirds of managers report that they’re under immense pressure to squeeze more out of their workers, according to a recent Slack survey of 18,000 knowledge workers. Amid major concerns about stagnant or declining worker productivity in the post-COVID era, one would think government and corporate leaders might ask whether they themselves aren’t the ones doing something wrong.

One thing many of them ignore to their own disadvantage is the extensive evidence that flexible hybrid work is more productive than forced in-office work for the same roles.

For example, according to the annual report by the Office of Personnel Management, 84 percent of federal employees and managers alike believe that telework improves the quality of work and customer satisfaction. Hubstaff’s detailed analysis of remote work productivity for all employees shows that remote employees enjoy a 22 percent increase in concentrated work time.

Despite this evidence, top executives are stubbornly herding employees back to the office like lost sheep and expecting that productivity will miraculously improve. This is the very definition of insanity.

One thing the rise of remote work has taught us is that the workplace can be a productivity black hole. It’s a great place for collaboration, socializing, mentoring and on-the-job training, but focused work often gets sucked into oblivion.

For instance, a recent study by scholars at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Harvard University and the University of Iowa found that software engineers scattered between different buildings on the same campus wrote more computer programs than those who were sitting close to colleagues. However, the engineers who worked in different buildings commented less on others’ code.

In other words, solitary workers were more productive, but that meant that less experienced coders received weaker mentorship. So while productivity is harmed by in-office presence, mentoring is boosted.

However, you have to be intentional about mentoring. The unspoken belief in many organizations is that if you pack employees into an office, mentoring will magically happen. In reality, office-based mentoring is often inconsistent, inefficient and dependent on such factors as physical proximity, office politics and personal dynamics, which can limit its reach and impact.

A structured mentoring program offers a more intentional and effective approach, pairing mentors and mentees based on skills, interests and goals. This targeted method ensures that knowledge-sharing and personal growth are not left to chance, but rather strategically nurtured and cultivated.

Structured mentoring programs can thrive in a hybrid environment that combines the best aspects of both in-office and remote work. This balanced approach allows companies to limit in-office activities to necessary mentoring sessions, maximizing productivity and employee satisfaction without sacrificing the benefits of face-to-face interactions.

Organizations aiming to combine the benefits of in-office and remote work within a mentoring framework should consider a multifaceted approach to a structured mentoring program. First, they need to plan focused in-person mentoring sessions that make the most of direct interactions. This strategy not only leverages the unique benefits of face-to-face communication but also respects the growing preference for remote-work flexibility.

Organizations should also create opportunities for networking and collaboration. Hosting virtual and in-person events broadens the scope of mentoring beyond traditional one-on-one interactions, facilitating wider knowledge sharing and community building. Organizations must also harness technology for remote mentoring. By employing video conferencing, instant messaging and collaboration tools, they ensure that mentor-mentee communication remains strong and effective, even when physical meetings aren’t feasible.

Another vital step is to set specific objectives and milestones. This keeps both mentors and mentees aligned, focused and accountable, thereby enhancing the program’s overall impact. As part of this, it is essential to monitor and evaluate mentoring relationships. Continuous assessment helps organizations pinpoint areas for improvement, allowing them to refine and adapt their mentoring programs to ensure they remains effective over time.

The great irony of the office-centric mentality is that it’s not just productivity that suffers — employee engagement takes a hit, too. A Gallup study found that employees who could work remotely but are mandated to go to the office suffer from a lack of autonomy, leading to lower engagement. The research shows that employee engagement is lowest for those who could work remotely but are forced to show up in person full time. Imagine the global implications of this problem: Gallup estimated that low employee engagement cost the world a staggering $7.8 trillion in lost productivity last year.

Similar engagement statistics emerge from research on federal employees in particular. The Office of Personnel Management report brings to light a significant disparity in engagement levels: 77 percent among frequent teleworkers, as opposed to 59 percent for their non-teleworking counterparts.

The difference illustrates how the option to telework fosters a deeper sense of belonging and investment in one’s work. The small minority of telework-eligible employees who choose not to telework have a level of engagement of 73 percent, just slightly below those who telework frequently. This difference in engagement levels again highlights the value of employee choice and points to the dangers of a mandated return to the office.

Government and corporate leaders should abandon the sinking ship of forced in-office work and embrace the flexible work revolution. In-office work has its benefits — for collaboration, mentoring, and training — but productivity is not one of them.

Gleb Tsipursky serves as the CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and authored the best-seller “Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams.“