Remote Work and the Return to Office: A Strategy to Move From 3 Days to 4 Days Onsite per Week

I had an opportunity to listen to Jacob Morgan’s Future-Ready Leadership podcast where he interviewed Stanford University economics professor Nick Bloom in an episode titled “Why Hybrid Work is Here to Stay and What Research Says with Dr. Nicholas Bloom,” which you can find here:

https://thefutureorganization.com/why-hybrid-work-is-here-to-stay-nicholas-bloom/

It inspired me to write this blog post about remote and virtual versus onsite work and how to approach employees when you, as a C-suite executive or business owner, want your employees to return to onsite work from say, three to four days per week. (It works just as well if you want to move from two days onsite to three, from fully offsite to one day onsite, and the like.) Effective messaging must come from your heart and appeal to workers’ career and professional development interests. Please read below for a suggested script and written/verbal communication approach that will likely yield much better results than a simple “command and control” requirement returning to a four-day onsite work schedule without other necessary human considerations.

___________________________

The two biggest trends in human resource management emerging from the pandemic have been the transition to remote/hybrid work and the AI revolution. Remote work and hybrid work arrangements reached a healthy equilibrium and quieted down over the past two years since 2023, while AI discussions continue to skyrocket with new releases of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and others.

However, in early 2025, the return-to-onsite-work debate came roaring back to the forefront in light of pronouncements from CEOs like Jeff Bezos at Amazon, Jaime Dimon at JP Morgan, and Elon Musk via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), requiring a swift return to onsite work with limited allowance for a transition period. President Trump’s return to onsite work executive order mandated that federal agencies "terminate remote work arrangements" and required employees to return to their official duty stations full-time.

Requiring workers to return to the office immediately as a condition of employment or face immediate dismissal may not be the approach you want to take in your organization. In the federal government’s case, the haphazard approach resulted in the loss of thousands of government workers without regard to their role, performance, or value. In the Amazon case, Microsoft was the biggest beneficiary, as Amazon’s technology workers brushed off their resumes and joined a key competitor because they felt disrespected and disregarded.

There’s actually a much smarter and wiser approach to the return-to-onsite-work dilemma if your goal is to establish a new onsite work policy and practice going forward.

The State of the State in Today’s Modern Workplace

Amazon, JP Morgan, and DOGE aside, today roughly 80% of Fortune 500 companies have adopted a "three-two model" where employees work onsite three days a week (typically Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday) and retain the discretion to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

The fact that the Fortune 500 and other parts of the private sector did not adopt the “immediate return to full onsite work as a condition of employment” approach demonstrated by Bezos, Dimon, and Musk tells you that their take-it-or-leave-it fiat didn’t work. Today, many Fortune 500 companies use remote work as a strategic advantage to boost their recruitment and retention efforts and to remain competitive in a tight talent market.

Further, as of 2025, Gen-Y Millennials (28 – 45-year-olds) and Gen-Z “Zoomers” (the 27 years-olds and younger) now make up the majority of workers in the American workforce. (Specifically, as of 2025, Gen Y makes up 36% of the U.S. workforce, while Gen Z makes up 18%, totaling 54%.) Their numbers are growing exponentially, especially as the last Baby Boomers retire over the next five years (2029 – 2031, depending on whether they retire at 65 or 67).

Gen Y and Gen Z are the most studied generational cohorts in history. As such, we know what they want and what their key priorities are, including:

1.    Work-life-family balance, control, and equilibrium.

2.    Career and professional development.

3.    Diversity of thoughts, ideas, and voices.

4.    Corporate social responsibility, environmentalism, and sustainability.

5.    Meaningful work, an ethical employer, and a management team that cares about them personally.

To the degree that you can incorporate these values and priorities into your organizational leadership brand and corporate culture, you’ll find yourself in harmony with the largest segment of American workers. The first element—work/life/family balance—clearly aligns with remote and hybrid work arrangements, especially in a business environment marked by high stress and employee burnout.

If that’s not convincing enough, research shows that workers value remote work as the equivalent of an 8% increase in pay. In addition, Dr. Bloom shared that studies show there appears to be little productivity value or gain to five days rather than three days working and collaborating together in person. Those facts, paired with the potential productivity gains introduced by enhanced AI models, led Dr. Bloom to conclude that remote work is here to stay in one form or another.

I agree. I see no reason why we shouldn’t adopt and adapt tools like videoconferencing to enhance productivity and meet the needs of the majority of our workforce. COVID was a once-in a-century pandemic that caught most employers off guard, but it proved that we could still keep the “wheels on the bus” despite not being physically present in the office. It forced us to think outside the box and demonstrate that “necessity is the mother of invention.” Urgency drives creativity, and with that Pandora out of the box and 80% of the Fortune 500 following these new “terms and conditions of employment," it’s logical for employers of all sizes and in all industries to follow suit. (Exceptions include organizations that employ nurses, shop floor mechanics, and hairdressers, for example, who, by definition, must be present onsite to conduct their jobs and complete their work.)

The Shift from Three Days to Four Days per Week

But what if you, as a CEO, president, or small business owner, feel that the time is right to expand from three days to four days onsite per week? While most companies follow the three-day model, it’s not surprising or uncommon to see companies moving to a four-day model. How do you do this correctly, how do you communicate your new return-to-office strategy effectively, and most important, how do you want your employees to hear, feel, and experience your message?

First, understand that your employees are used to their current (three-day) situation. They’ve probably been at it for the past two to three years, and they’ve likely become comfortable with that work arrangement, including its impact on their personal lives when it comes to childcare, outside activities, and the like.

Second, it’s probably safe to assume that your employees will suspect that “ill intentions” may be at hand when first hearing your announcement. In other words, your workers have no doubt heard stories of “productivity paranoia” where management fears that it cannot control what it cannot see, that workers are taking advantage of their companies, and that management will eventually go down the slippery slope to full onsite employment—five days a week without exception.

Third, remember that, despite recessions and dips in stock markets, talent is and will remain in short supply, especially for technology specialists like the ones who jumped ship at Amazon to join Microsoft. In fact, talent scarcity will remain a major economic driver in all industrialized nations for the remainder of this century. Managers will need to learn new skills that build on talent “retention and development”—not simply talent “acquisition.” In other words, they’ll need to learn how to “grow their own” and not simply assume that posting a job ad on LinkedIn or Indeed.com will result in fish (i.e., qualified job candidates) jumping into their boat.

What’s even more significant are the real reasons why many CEOs want people back in the workplace more often. The benefits to onsite, in-person work include:

1.    Mentoring/socialization/learning opportunities (especially for younger workers)  

2.    Innovation and creativity

3.    Culture enhancement

They want people to feel more connected, more engaged with their coworkers, and part of the community where they work. For example, here’s what a business owner recently shared with me:

“Paul, when I look back on my own career, some of my greatest friendships and mentorships came out my first job and early days in the business world. I feel so bad for the younger generations, especially in light of COVID. They missed those fun school years, the opportunity to walk down the aisle upon graduation, and the chance to bond with new friends at work. I’ve read that Gen Z continues to test out as the loneliest, most isolated, and most depressed generational cohort on the planet. . . even more so than people in retirement homes. I don’t want our youngest employees to miss out on making new relationships and friendships, the opportunities to find a mentor, and the joy of collaboration that only comes with getting to know their associates more personally.”

Those thoughts were heartfelt, sincere, and selfless. They should become key to every CEO’s message when returning employees to onsite work or increasing their number of days in the office.

Rules for Returning Employees to Onsite Work

Leadership is a team sport. It thrives on human connection, trust, and respect. The surest path to effective leadership is through the heart by fostering an emotional connection with those you manage. As such, you’ll want to follow certain practical rules and guidelines for onsite work that will help your employees see the change as fair and justifiable.

Rule 1: Ensure that everyone throughout the organization or on a particular team is onsite on the same days and at the same time.

The purpose of working together is to build camaraderie and trust, to collaborate more effectively, and to build stronger team muscle. According to Harvard Business Review’s book On Teams, the best predictors of productivity are a team’s energy and engagement outside of formal meetings (i.e., social time). Informal breakroom discussions, team lunches, and formal holiday parties and company picnics are more important than we give them credit.

Rule 2: No one onsite should be permitted to take staff meetings from their office using Zoom or Teams: it defeats the whole purpose of working together onsite and in person.

Rule 3: Provide ample time and build flexibility into any return-to-work schedule changes. For example, provide 60 – or 90-day notice to permit parents to find alternative childcare or eldercare arrangements, night-school students to rearrange their schedules, and the like.

Rule 4: Ensure consistent enforcement and measurement.

You may want the entire company back onsite four days per week (Monday – Thursday). Or you may want to give department heads the discretion to determine if their teams need to be onsite at all.

For example, “back office” functions like HRIS/payroll, accounting & finance, IT, or other departments may not need to be onsite. You’ve got that flexibility to decide in advance whether you’re rolling this out to the entire company or only to select portions of the population that have customer-facing roles. It’s important in either case, however, that you’re consistent with the application of these rules.

Nothing builds resentment faster than inconsistent treatment that applies rules to some and not others. Be cautious of permitting department heads too much discretion in cases like these where your core goal is to reengage the entire organization and build and strengthen cross-departmental collaboration. In short, while some managers may lightly enforce return-to-work guidelines while others will strictly adhere to the letter of law, it's in your best interests organizationally to align team practices across your enterprise right from the start.

Rule 5: Shift the focus from presence (i.e., “desk watching”) to performance. While difficult to quantify, determine what changes you would hope to see in quarterly, mid-year, or annual performance appraisal trends or other productivity or key performance measures in light of this change to a four-day onsite workweek.

Rule 6: Incentivize employees to return to a four-day onsite work schedule. For example, create an internal mentoring program, job shadowing program, or opportunity for rotational staff leadership so that employees who may be interested in promoting and learning more about the organization gain an opportunity for greater organizational exposure or skill building that can only come from onsite scheduling.

Remember, if the company still observes Fridays (for example) as the day where everyone works remotely if they choose, you can still benefit from advertising yourself as a partially remote/virtual workplace. Your employees continue to benefit from a reduced commute and more time for quiet productivity. And you may be able to repurpose or sublease that office space, saving money or generating additional cash flow.

Effectively Communicating Your Return to Office Strategy

Finally, don’t underestimate the significance of your message to your employees, both in writing and verbally. Lead from the heart. Demonstrate the benefits to their career and professional development. Emphasize the importance of socialization and friendships, the expected increases in productivity from greater collaboration and cross-departmental alignment, and the enhancement of your organizational culture that led you to the decision to move in this new direction. You’re not required to “justify” your decision, but you’ll likely have much greater buy-in if you explain your reasoning clearly and transparently.

Your verbal communication during an all-hands meeting (which you can easily transpose into a written memo) might sound like this:

“Everyone,  

“I want to make an important announcement about our current remote and hybrid work schedules. Right now, as you’re aware, we’re all working three days per week onsite on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I want to move to a four-day work schedule where we all work Monday – Thursday onsite, with Fridays remaining free to work remotely. I’d like to explain my reasoning for making this change.

“First, I’m a firm believer that culture and collaboration become much stronger when people work side by side and build personal relationships with their peers, both in their immediate workgroups and across departments. We know that a key indicator of any team’s strengths and performance potential can be tied to the amount of time people spend with one another doing non-work-related activities, whether on the same team or across the organization. Cross-departmental collaboration and 'cross pollination' happen more naturally when informal channels of communication develop and strengthen themselves, leading to a stronger culture.

“Second, I value your career and professional development. Especially for those of you in your 20s and early 30s, those first years in your career are critical to your longer-term success. In my case, some of the strongest friend relationships and coaching opportunities that I ever experienced were in the first decade of my career, and I feel strongly that building stronger connections and networking opportunities with others will benefit your career as it has mine.

“Third, I’m painfully aware that Gen Y Millennials and Gen Z Zoomers keep testing out as the loneliest, most isolated, and most depressed generations on the planet—even more so than retirees in retirement homes. That concerns me deeply. For those of you in those generational cohorts, you’re the first truly digital generation, which is great in many ways—but it’s led to fewer opportunities to socialize and connect with others personally and in a more deep and meaningful way. I want all of our employees to thrive and to feel like they’re part of a team that cares about them personally and has their backs. I want people to be able to do their very best work every day with peace of mind. I think that ideal can be achieved more effectively by working together side by side on a more reliable and consistent basis.

“Fourth, it’s human nature to connect with people you know better and more personally. I don’t want remote workers to fear being ‘out of sight and out of mind’ in their managers’ eyes and potentially missing out on career opportunities. Likewise, I don't want anyone to fear having less job security because they’re not present onsite to build a stronger personal presence or benefit from greater face time with their manager.

“Fifth, I’ll provide more details on this separately, but I want to make sure we’re making this change consistently across the board. I realize that resentment can build quickly if people feel like they’re being held to a different or higher standard than others. I’ll speak with the management team separately about the importance of consistency and fairness in this scheduling change.

“Sixth, you’ll all be provided ample time to make changes to your personal schedules. We’re looking to make this transition happen over the next 90 days, giving you all the time necessary to tend to child- or eldercare arrangements, courses that you’re taking at night, or anything else that’s important to you. We respect that change of this scale takes time, and we don’t want you to feel unnecessary pressure to make this happen overnight. If there are exceptional circumstances regarding this ninety-day transition window, I encourage you to speak with your manager.

“Finally, our goal is to shift our focus from "presence" to "performance." That means that we’re not doing this because we don’t trust you or don’t believe you’re working to your full potential. In fact, it’s just the opposite: I respect how you’ve adapted to this new work model that was thrust upon us by the COVID pandemic. The just-in-time technology that emerged like Zoom, Teams, and other videoconferencing capabilities will surely get stronger from here. And I’m sure that AI might offer some solutions along the way as well.

"But please understand where my heart is: I want us all to connect better, build stronger friendships and mentorships, increase cross-organizational collaboration, and drive greater creativity and innovation. That will only come when we’re working side by side and getting to know one another more personally than videoconferencing or chat apps will allow. My goal is to build stronger camaraderie, trust, and respect in our workplace and in our culture. My hope is that you all feel that management has your backs, that you can safely bring out the best in your peers, and you can learn and benefit from others who get to know you more personally.

“We’ll continue to monitor our progress, of course, and course-correct as necessary. If all goes according to plan, however, this will remain our scheduling model moving forward. I see no reason for us to move to a five-day onsite work schedule and have no plans of doing so at this time. I hope you’ll see this as an opportunity for career building and making our company a better place. Respect, trust, and the sharing of knowledge, technical skills, and leadership abilities are the results I’m looking for. Please accept this final phase of COVID adjustment in the positive spirit that it’s intended. I thank you all for your ongoing support, encouragement, and trust.”

Said from the heart and uniquely positioned to share the benefits of this proposed change with all, your message and rollout strategy should be well received by most employees. Will some leave for greener pastures where more remote work schedules may be available? Probably. But the majority will not only recognize the business sense in making this change but will also sense your sincerity in making this work for both the organization as a whole and for each individual employee.

Leadership wisdom focuses on sincerity, otherness, and alignment. Sharing announcements like this has the potential to be negatively interpreted and received. But with a verbal and written message that captures the heart, balances individual and company benefits, and potentially offers new incentives that can only occur while onsite, this strategy should beget positive results and outcomes as your organization transitions from three to four days onsite every week.

_____________________________

Please feel free to subscribe to Paul Falcone’s blog for similar articles by clicking the “Subscribe to Blog” link above or by entering your email address here: https://www.paulfalconehr.com/blog.  

For more information on Paul's books, please visit his #HarperCollinsLeadership author page at https://www.harpercollinsleadership.com/catalog/paul-falcone/.

You can likewise find his books on Amazon at amazon.com/author/paulfalcone or at Barnes & Noble at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Paul%20Falcone.

For video snippets of Paul’s presentations, visit his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@paulfalconeHR.

PaulFalconeHR.com Consulting Services  

Management & Leadership Training	Certified Executive Coaching
International Keynote Speaking	HR Advisory Services
Corporate Offsite Retreat Facilitation	Expert Witness Testimony