Return-to-Office Mandates: How to Lose Your Best Performers

Return-to-office mandates are proving counterproductive in the future of work, with research showing they damage employee engagement without improving financial performance. Studies reveal that companies prioritizing outcomes over office presence create higher productivity and retention, particularly among top performers. Organizations that balance accountability with workplace flexibility demonstrate stronger business results, while those forcing RTO risk losing their best talent, especially among women, caregivers, and underrepresented groups. For leadership success in today's workplace, focusing on measurable outcomes rather than physical presence creates what the author calls a "boom loop" of enhanced engagement, trust, and performance, leading to sustainable growth and innovation.