Workers Clearly Hate RTO Mandates

It should come as no surprise that today's workforce dislikes having a boss or manager constantly looking over their shoulder or micromanaging their day-to-day activities. Combined with work-life balance concerns, the desire for a quieter and less stressful environment, and cost savings on commuting and childcare, many employees are resisting the return-to-office (RTO) demands of their companies. In fact, a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers revealed that one in six employees (16%) would quit if forced back to the office, while 40% believe returning would reduce their job satisfaction.

The pushback against RTO policies has taken various forms. Some workers are outright quitting, others are "quiet quitting," and still others are "coffee badging," a practice where employees make it appear as though they’ve met their in-office requirements.

According to the survey, a large portion of the younger generation would either ignore RTO requests entirely or leave their jobs rather than return to the office. Two in five employees feel that a return to the office would decrease their job satisfaction. Of those willing to return, 96% have stated they would seek carefully selected incentives to make the transition worthwhile.

The debate between remote workers and management teams has been ongoing for some time. Remote workers argue that they are just as productive and capable of completing their tasks efficiently. In contrast, management teams claim that distractions at home negatively impact the quality of work, as well as the availability and focus of remote workers. At least one recent study seems to support management's concerns.

Fortune Magazine recently reported that nearly half of Gen Z workers oppose returning to the office because it would prevent them from binge-watching their favorite TV shows during work hours. According to the article, 84% of Gen Z workers admitted to streaming shows and movies while working from home, and 53% confessed to delaying work to finish a show they were binge-watching. These findings are based on a survey of 2,502 adults who stream videos at least one hour per week.

Concerns about productivity hold some merit. Additional studies indicate that millennials and Gen Z workers are the most likely generations to engage in “fauxductivity”—a term describing fake activity to appear busy. Over 30% of respondents from these generations admitted to faking productivity, according to a 2024 survey of 3,000 full-time employees in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland.

Does this justify the distrust employers feel when they can’t closely monitor workers outside the office? Perhaps not. Many believe these trends stem from deeper workplace issues, such as professional and personal stressors, burnout, overwork, and disengagement.