As businesses solidify their RTO policies for 2025, they must strike a balance between operational efficiency and workforce retention. Many organizations see a return to office (RTO) as a strategic move to enhance collaboration, culture, and productivity. But employees are pushing back, with talent attrition becoming a growing concern for companies mandating full-time office work.

As companies recalibrate their workforce models, they face a critical question: How do they maintain control, collaboration, and operational efficiency without alienating the talent they need to succeed? The wrong move can lead to mass resignations, diminished employer brand perception, and weakened recruitment pipelines. The right approach — one that aligns business needs with workforce expectations — can position organizations for long-term success.

Why businesses favor RTO policies

Surveys show that 70% of executives intend to either uphold or expand the number of in-office workdays required for employees in 2025. The push to return to the office is often framed as a debate between employee convenience and employer control. But in reality, RTO policies respond to a growing instability in underlying structures of business operations. Many companies see full-time in-office work as the best way to maintain efficiency, compliance, and corporate culture. While hybrid and remote models offer flexibility, they also introduce new complexities, particularly around productivity monitoring, collaboration, and cybersecurity.

RTO policies aim to improve:

• Visibility and oversight: Employers can monitor productivity more effectively, reduce compliance risks, and ensure adherence to company policies.
• Team collaboration: In-person interactions foster innovation, improve cross-functional engagement, and reduce the inefficiencies of asynchronous communication.
• Data security and infrastructure control: Centralized IT infrastructure reduces exposure to cybersecurity threats and ensures better compliance with data protection regulations.
• Workforce development: Employees have more exposure to leadership, faster career advancement opportunities, and a stronger connection to company culture.
• Cost efficiency: While remote work can reduce real estate costs, the hidden costs of a dispersed workforce — such as IT investments, security risks, and reduced knowledge sharing — can outweigh those savings over time.

Drawbacks of RTO policies

RTO is not just a workforce policy — it’s a statement about a company’s culture and priorities. A rigid return-to-office mandate, without proper workforce support, could send a clear message: Flexibility is not part of the organizational DNA. For some employees, this is a dealbreaker. Businesses must recognize that their approach to RTO policies will define their employer brand for years to come. Companies that mishandle this transition may see higher turnover, weaker talent pipelines, and difficulty attracting top-tier candidates.

A 2024 survey by Resume Builder revealed that 80% of employers experienced talent losses directly attributed to enforced RTO policies. This statistic underscores a critical disconnect between employer expectations and employee preferences. The rigid imposition of in-office requirements has led many professionals to seek opportunities elsewhere, favoring organizations that offer flexible work arrangements.

While some companies, such as Amazon, have mandated full-time RTO policies, this approach is not reflective of the broader industry trend. Data indicates that only 3% of tech firms require full-time office presence, with 79% maintaining fully flexible policies. This disparity highlights a significant shift in workplace norms, with flexibility becoming a key differentiator in talent acquisition and retention. Those without effective workforce incentives, culture, and employer branding could be at risk of serious staffing crunches.

And this immediate turnover isn’t the only drawback of RTO policies. The talent vacuum created by attrition is reinforced by limited talent pools remaining within commuting distance. It’s further compounded by difficulties attracting new talent from within that pool as employer branding recovers from the exodus of former talent. This means businesses could face much longer hiring timelines, increased recruitment costs, and additional strain on remaining employees, leading to burnout and further turnover.

While grappling with these staffing constraints, businesses might also face lower performance among retained employees, causing project delays, quality gaps, and eroded market share. Without a strategy to balance business needs with employee expectations, RTO policies risk becoming a long-term liability rather than a short-term fix.

Workforce solutions to support RTO policies

Despite the drawbacks, new RTO policies are inevitable for many companies. For these businesses, the transition back to the office should be deliberate, employee-centered, and backed by the right workforce solutions. Maslow’s workforce solutions are designed to help businesses navigate the complexities of RTO policies, retain top talent, source new talent efficiently, and maintain operational excellence every step of the way. Here’s how we can help:

• Strategic workforce planning: We help businesses align their talent strategy with evolving workplace policies, ensuring they maintain staffing levels, reduce attrition risks, and adapt effectively to changing workforce expectations.
• Contingent workforce solutions: RTO mandates don’t always align with employee preferences. Our contingent staffing solutions enable companies to maintain workforce agility, filling gaps and scaling teams as needed while minimizing disruptions.
• Employer of Record (EOR) services: Our EOR services provide 24-hour onboarding, minimizing downtime from lost talent. We also manage payroll, benefits, and compliance, making contingent positions more attractive to talent and less risky and administratively complex for employers.
• IT staffing for secure RTO: Companies reintegrating employees into office spaces must ensure robust IT security and infrastructure management. Our IT staffing solutions help businesses reinforce cybersecurity measures and on-premise tech support.
• Management: Through our managed services, we enrich employee experience with engagement programs, performance recognition, and career development that aligns with operational needs and business goals.

Partner with Maslow to confront backlash from RTO policies

The workplace of 2025 will not resemble the past. Companies that rigidly enforce outdated RTO policies might find themselves struggling with high turnover, hiring challenges, and workforce disengagement. Those who take a strategic, flexible approach will be best positioned to attract and retain top-tier talent.

Partner with Maslow for the agility, compliance support, and strategic staffing solutions you need to thrive in a changing talent ecosystem. Whether you’re fully implementing new RTO policies, exploring hybrid models, or simply optimizing your workforce planning, we can help you remain competitive, resilient, and future-ready.