The Wall Street Journal’s coverage of renewed return-to-office pressure highlights a truth many leaders aren’t saying out loud: this isn’t about productivity-it’s about control, culture, and comfort. Executives are nostalgic for the version of work where they could walk past a sea of desks and convince themselves everything was running smoothly. Employees, meanwhile, have spent three years proving they can deliver without fluorescent lighting and surprise conference-room interruptions.
This tension isn’t about where work happens; it’s about how trust works. Many companies still treat remote work as an exception instead of an evolution. Instead of redesigning workflows, expectations, and communication habits, they’re trying to recreate 2019 using 2023 tools. And employees can feel that mismatch in every meeting invite.
What’s emerging is a new leadership competency: leading distributed teams with intention instead of proximity. Some companies will figure it out. Others will blame “work ethic” or “culture fit” until attrition tells a different story.
Are return-to-office mandates solving real problems or symptoms of outdated management styles? And what would leadership look like if trust-not location-became the default?
Related article: WSJ
