Not all office attendance policies are created equal

Three years into widespread hybrid adoption, structured hybrid policies¹ are now the norm, with 66% of global office workers saying their company sets clear expectations for the number of days working on-site. While 72% of the global workforce view these policies positively, that acceptance often depends on the overall employee experience.

Employees with a positive view tend to work in environments where business needs are balanced with employee wellbeing – they benefit from quality workplaces, an empowering managerial culture and learning and development opportunities. They value clear expectations and shared routines—50% say office presence supports better teamwork, 43% prefer to work from the office and 35% view hybrid policies as fairer to all employees. They are also more likely to feel their employer is getting the broader environment right: 71% say their company is a great place to work and they report higher satisfaction with office design, wellbeing services, social infrastructure and mobility support.

By contrast, those with a negative view of their organization’s hybrid policies often lack these conditions. Their concern is less about returning to the office and more about the lack of support that makes it a comfortable and worthwhile experience. 40% believe they will be less productive if they are unable to choose their preferred work setting.

Negative perceptions peak among employees who are dissatisfied with their office environment, suggesting that the quality of office experience is paramount to demonstrate the value of working from the office, especially in terms of productivity, teamwork and individual comfort.

Those with negative views on hybrid policies are also concerned about quality of life (highlighted by 55% of these employees) and feelings of being stuck (42%) or let down (41%). Where the “psychological contract” – employees’ implicit expectations of being valued and supported – is broken, employees seek compensation via increased commuting stipend and flexible hours.
 

Great workplaces have a significant impact on structured hybrid policy acceptance

Again, regional disparities are stark when it comes to the perception of workplace experience, with the Middle East and the U.S. reporting the highest satisfaction (77%), while Europe reports the lowest (51%), particularly in France and Germany – this may be linked to higher expectations in certain localities but also to the quality of the office buildings in each region.² Although managers, caregivers and younger workers report higher satisfaction, they also expect much more from their offices, increasing the pressure on employers to deliver workplaces that are more responsive to workforce needs.

Distinctive workplaces and AI-enabled collaboration

With attitudes to work evolving, offices must offer a commute-worthy alternative to home-working environments. High-quality fit-outs, personalized experiences, a range of amenities and food services, and opportunities for networking and leadership connection define the next-gen workplace sought by employees. Such offices may also integrate more sophisticated collaboration ecosystems, augmented by AI agents and intuitive audio capabilities, to enable richer real-time interactions across distributed teams in and out of the office.

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