Back to the Office: Finding the Balance Between Collaboration and Flexibility

Lord Alan Sugar has made his views on remote work crystal clear—employees need to “get their bums back into the office.” He believes face-to-face interactions are essential, especially for younger professionals who learn by being around more experienced colleagues.

It’s a sentiment shared by many big employers. Boots, JP Morgan, Barclays, and Amazon are all tightening their return-to-office policies, with some requiring staff to be in four days a week.

But is this really what employees want? Research suggests that strict office mandates are pushing people to look elsewhere. Many recruiters are seeing a rise in candidates leaving companies that demand full-time office attendance, and plenty of job seekers are rejecting roles that don’t offer hybrid options.

Employees are making their voices heard. At Amazon Web Services, hundreds signed a letter urging leadership to rethink its full-time office policy, pointing out how it disadvantages people with caregiving responsibilities or neurodivergent conditions.

So where does this leave HR? We’re the ones who have to find the balance between keeping leadership happy and ensuring employees feel valued and supported. How do we make office time worthwhile rather than something people feel forced into? Can we create policies that encourage collaboration without alienating those who need flexibility?

This debate isn’t going away anytime soon. Getting the balance right will take open conversations, a willingness to listen, and a real understanding of what employees actually want.

How is your organisation handling this challenge?