These remote workers were ordered back to the office. They still work from home.

Despite tougher return-to-office mandates, many employees are quietly bending the rules—“coffee badging” for an hour or skipping mandated days entirely. USA TODAY’s latest story captures that reality: RTO policies may look strict on paper, but enforcement is inconsistent and work from home remains a durable part of modern work.

As Nick Bloom of Stanford puts it, it’s become like jaywalking: “Technically against the rules, but everyone does it, and there’s little enforcement.” Flex Index founder Brian Elliott adds: “Leaders risk losing credibility if they set rules people routinely ignore. The real opportunity is in designing flexibility that builds trust and drives results.”

Why read it: this piece shows how the tug-of-war over where we work is evolving—and why rigid policies can backfire. For executives, it’s a reminder that the future of work isn’t about policing badge swipes, but about setting clear goals and measuring impact over input.

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