This year has ushered in a more robust return to the office, with companies across industries now putting an end to remote work for most employees. The likes of Amazon, UPS, and Boeing are now requiring workers to be in the office five days a week, along with several banks and finance companies. Walmart has required that corporate employees not only return to the office, but also relocate to the retail giant’s headquarters in Arkansas.
These edicts have faced significant pushback from employees, some of whom have threatened to quit. Many workers have been frustrated by the loss of flexibility they enjoyed since the pandemic upended how we work. But another recurring complaint has been that companies often offer little explanation—and notice, in some cases—for their decision to bring people back to the office.
It’s an issue that AJ Thomas often raises when she advises startups and other companies. Thomas—who was formerly the head of talent at Google’s “moonshot factory” and continues to advise there—has worked across talent, product, and teams and now runs her own coaching firm. (She is also a CXO in residence at tech hiring platform A. Team and the founder of the venture capital fund, Good Trouble Ventures.)
In an interview with Fast Company, Thomas talked about what companies are getting wrong with their messaging around RTO and what they should be considering before rolling out a strict in-office mandate—including the impact on marginalized employees. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
The return-to-office push is obviously not new. But there has been a change in the kinds of mandates we’re seeing, with companies asking people to come into the office full time. What do you make of this shift and the pushback companies have received from employees?
