Return to the Office? What for?

As the holiday season peaks, major employers are calling their teams back to the office. While some workers are willing to make the commute, others are not convinced it’s worth the trip.

Employers like RBC and Scotiabank are pushing for return-to-office mandates, requiring employees to be on-site up to four days a week to help rebuild workplace culture and boost collaboration. However, many employees argue that current office setups are not designed for how people work today.

Numerous employees have taken to social media to vent their frustrations. There are stories of overcrowded spaces and chaotic hot-desking situations. “There are not enough desks,” one worker wrote. “You leave for the bathroom, and someone else has taken your spot.” Others shared experiences of juggling Zoom calls in stairwells, kitchens, or their cars due to a lack of private meeting rooms.

Even those open to returning acknowledge that the setup is flawed. “If I travel all the way to the office only to spend the day on video calls without a quiet room, I’d much rather stay home,” one employee said. “That’s not collaboration—it’s just bad planning.”

HR expert Vanessa Salopek asserts that post-pandemic offices need to be restructured. “Being at work isn’t just about showing up in a building anymore,” she explains. “Employees are protective of their time. If the office doesn’t offer value and flexibility, it feels like a step backward.”

Salopek believes organizations must earn the in-office collaboration they seek. To achieve this, she suggests that employers need to invest in spaces that truly support how people work today; otherwise, such mandates risk alienating employees instead of bringing them back together.