I’ve spent most of my career either working remotely or in hybrid roles, and I’ve got to say—it’s been an absolute game-changer. It’s hard to even imagine going back to a strict Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 in the office. But lately, I’ve been reading about companies, like Amazon and Goldman Sachs, pushing hard for a full return to the office. Five days a week. No more flexibility. No more working in pajamas while avoiding the soul-crushing commute. And honestly, it feels like a slap in the face.
Are We Seriously Doing This?
Let’s rewind to 2020 for a moment. The pandemic hit, and like so many others, I found myself setting up a home office. We made it work. Actually, scratch that—we didn’t just “make it work,” we thrived. The tech held up. Productivity didn’t collapse. In fact, most people reported being just as productive, if not more productive, working from home. People learned to manage their time better and often found that without the commute, they could balance work with their personal lives in a way that wasn’t possible before.
Companies were forced to trust their employees, and guess what? The world didn’t fall apart. Businesses adapted. Zoom became our boardroom, Slack our water cooler. People figured out how to collaborate from hundreds of miles apart, and in many ways, it actually improved things. No more endless, unproductive meetings that could’ve just been emails. Instead, we got to focus on the work that actually mattered. It was efficient.
So, when I see these companies demanding that everyone return to the office five days a week, I can’t help but think—are you kidding me?
What’s the Real Reason?
I’ve read a lot of theories on why some companies are so obsessed with getting people back to their cubicles. One argument is that companies, particularly the bigger ones, have invested millions in office spaces, and they don’t want to see them sitting empty. Amazon’s campuses, for example, were practically ghost towns during the pandemic. I get it—those expensive buildings feel like a waste when no one’s there. But is that really a good enough reason to turn back the clock on flexible work? Should employees be forced to return just to justify a company’s real estate investments? That’s a pretty weak argument if you ask me.
And then there’s the collaboration argument. You know the one—it’s where executives claim that innovation happens more when people are “bumping into each other in the hallways” or “grabbing coffee and brainstorming.” Really? Because I’ve worked in plenty of offices where the only thing happening near the coffee machine was gossip about who ate the last donut. The idea that you can only be creative or collaborative when physically in the same space feels outdated in a world where technology has made virtual brainstorming sessions just as effective (if not more).
Don’t even get me started on the commute. For some people, especially those living in big cities, the commute is a huge part of their day. It eats into your personal time, and let’s be real—it’s exhausting. Going from a 45-minute train ride to rolling out of bed and being at your desk in five minutes? There’s no contest. And now, companies are trying to take that away? I mean, come on.
The Great Office Rebellion
What really fascinates me is how employees are reacting to all of this. Take Amazon as an example. When they announced their new five-day return-to-office policy, employees were not having it. Thousands signed petitions, voicing their displeasure. Social media erupted with complaints from workers who’d grown accustomed to the freedom and flexibility of remote work. Some even threatened to leave the company altogether.
It’s not just Amazon. Meta (formerly Facebook), Google, and even Disney have all seen pushback from their employees over return-to-office mandates. Workers everywhere are saying, “We’ve proven we can do our jobs from home. Why should we go back?” And honestly, it’s a fair question.
Remote work was no longer just a perk—it became a way of life. People got a taste of what it was like to have more control over their schedules, to be able to pick up their kids from school or go for a walk during lunch without feeling guilty. And now, companies are trying to take that away, expecting people to just go along with it.
But Are People Going Along with It?
Here’s the thing: people aren’t just quietly grumbling. They’re rebelling. The sentiment on the internet is clear—many employees are done with the traditional office setup. LinkedIn is full of professionals openly discussing how they would rather quit than return to the office full-time. Twitter, Reddit, and other platforms are buzzing with stories from employees looking for jobs that offer remote or hybrid options.
A study conducted by Slack’s Future Forum showed that a whopping 76% of workers do not want to return to full-time office work. Instead, they prefer a flexible model that allows them to come into the office only occasionally. People aren’t afraid to walk away from companies that don’t offer this flexibility, and in today’s job market, they *can* walk away.
The Future of Work
Honestly, I think these companies pushing for a full return to the office are shooting themselves in the foot. They’re going to lose talent. Remote work isn’t just a “COVID trend”—it’s a shift in how we view work. Flexibility is becoming one of the top priorities for job seekers, and companies that don’t offer it are going to have a hard time attracting and retaining talent.
I’ve seen this firsthand. I’ve been in meetings where managers openly admit that they’ve lost great candidates because those candidates weren’t willing to give up the flexibility they had become used to. And as someone who’s worked remotely for years, I completely get it. Once you’ve experienced the freedom of working from anywhere—whether that’s your home, a coffee shop, or a beach in the Bahamas—it’s hard to go back to being chained to a desk five days a week.
In Conclusion: Let’s Not Go Back to the Stone Age
Returning to a five-day office schedule feels like a step back to me, and I’m clearly not alone in this sentiment. The pandemic proved that remote work works. It gave people back time, reduced stress, and in many cases, increased productivity. So why on earth would we throw all that progress away just to fill up some empty office buildings?
Companies pushing for a full return to the office need to wake up and smell the (probably home-brewed) coffee. The world of work has changed, and employees now have the power to demand the flexibility they deserve.
