Study: No one-size-fits-all return-to-office strategy

Here's another insightful article by Dr. Gleb Tsipursky. This is a point that I made many times in the past: one-size-fits-all approaches to remote/hybrid/in-office work don't produce optimal results. The degree to which employees should work remotely vs in-office should be determined by the needs of the position. To make either in-office or remote work successful, a job analysis for each position is crucial. "Executive preference" is not an effective substitute for reasonable rigor in examining job characteristics. I have to wonder how many organizations whose executives order people back into the office actively and effectively manage the in-office structure, environment, and culture, especially after making such a substantial change to employees' work - and lives.

A new study shows there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to return-to-office. Finance hubs are back in the office while tech cities embrace remote work, and most metros are finding balance through hybrid models that define the future of flexibility. https://ow.ly/IU6y50X70n6

A new study shows there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to return-to-office. Finance hubs are back in the office while tech cities embrace remote work, and most metros are finding balance through hybrid models that define the future of flexibility. https://ow.ly/EYJv50X70n4

Who gets hybrid working flexibility - and who doesn’t? 45% of employees earning £50k + enjoy hybrid office flex. Only 8% of those under £20k do. That gap is changing how companies choose their office workspace. When higher-paid teams can live further out and work flexibly, but lower-paid staff can’t, office location starts deciding who can even afford to take the job! The right workspace strategy isn’t just a property decision anymore - it’s an inclusion decision. DM me for great office options in your area, or get your free office shortlist on ADAPT here: https://lnkd.in/ePuQER84 👉 And read why inclusion starts with geography here: https://lnkd.in/eAwjhR_8

In 2025 (and in 2026 too), office location = opportunity.  ADAPT helps companies choose office locations that broaden their talent pool and build more inclusive cultures

Liam Bailey's June 2025 Knight Frank article, evaluates the 'rightsizing' for individual businesses. Many businesses reduced their offices spaces, sold premises and downsized during the pandemic to help mitigate losses whilst we were all stuck at home. The article highlights how hard many are finding the return to work in smaller spaces, with little hybrid work management. With over half of their respondents agreeing that hybrid working will be the predominant work style three years for now, how do business expect to limp through this future. Is it time to see what a new hybrid working software can do for you? Try intheOffice - https://www.intheoffice.io Read the article: https://lnkd.in/ewncUU9r #Corporate #Software #OfficeManagement #HybridWorking

Return to Office: The Great Tug of War Nobody Asked For Let’s talk about the elephant in the meeting room, or more accurately, whether we should all be in the meeting room at all. Over the past year, a quiet shift has taken hold in the UK workplace. More employers are dialling back flexibility and pulling people into the office more frequently. Some are asking for two or three anchor days. Others are going all in on five days, full time. I’m not here to take sides. Just to look at what the numbers are quietly telling us behind all the noise. Here’s where things stand: Around 30 percent of large employers with existing office mandates plan to increase in-office requirements this year. Only 42 percent of employees say they’d comply with a full five-day office return. That’s down from 54 percent the year before. 58 percent of workers say they would either start job hunting or quit immediately if required to return full time. Productivity? That’s where it gets even more interesting. Two-thirds of employees say they’re more productive when working remotely. Fewer distractions. More focus. Less time pretending to work near a photocopier. But employers forcing a full return haven’t seen a spike in results. In fact, output often stayed flat, while morale quietly dipped. Then there’s attrition. Eight in ten organisations say they’ve lost people as a direct result of rigid return to office policies. That’s not theory. That’s real-world loss. Skills, experience, and delivery momentum all walk out the door. So what does this mean? There’s no silver bullet. More office time doesn’t guarantee better output. In some cases, it increases friction, burnout, and disengagement. The real question isn’t where people sit. It’s how well your systems support performance, and whether your processes enable people to do their best work, wherever they’re doing it. This is the kind of problem I help clients solve. Designing hybrid operations that actually work. Not just in policy, but in practice. If you're facing this tension and want clarity on how to move forward without compromising talent or delivery, get in touch. You don’t need noise. You need structure. #dontpanic

Working from Home – Freedom and Focus Are you the type who can truly work from home? For some, the idea of remote work means peace, focus, and flexibility. For others, it quickly turns into distractions, temptations, and thoughts like “I’ll just put on a quick load of laundry first.” I’m fortunate — I have the option to choose. I genuinely enjoy being in a dynamic environment, out visiting clients, or surrounded by the energy of a busy office. Still, there’s something undeniably effective about sitting in a quiet home office with everything set up just right for deep work. But working from home doesn’t automatically work for everyone — and it certainly doesn’t run itself. Create a Dedicated Work Zone My best advice: have a clear space that’s “work.” When I decided to spend more time working from home, it was essential for me to dedicate a separate room — a space free from distractions, with a clear professional feel. When I walk into that room, I’m at work. When I leave it, I’m home again. It may sound simple, but it makes a huge difference for focus, structure, and balance. ⸻ A Few Simple but Powerful Tips Start your day as if you were going to the office. Get up, get ready, and go to work — even if the commute is just a few steps. Work in focused sessions. Block off time for deep work, and take intentional breaks that recharge you — not distract you. Keep communication warm and active. Use Teams, calls, or video to stay connected. It’s easy to become too isolated when everything happens online. Invest in your workspace. A great home office isn’t just about the right chair and screen — it’s about light, temperature, and that subtle sense of “this is where I do my best work.” ⸻ The Value of Flexibility Being able to alternate between the office, client visits, and home is a real privilege. But with freedom comes responsibility — for structure, discipline, and professionalism. When those elements are in place, working from home isn’t just an option — it can be the most productive place of all. #SpringNova Spring Nova #Engineering #Industrialdesign

"Remote work is the future." Maybe. But we just expanded our London office. And our Copenhagen HQ is buzzing. Here's what the remote-first crowd gets wrong: They confuse flexibility with effectiveness. Don't get me wrong - we don't force 5 days in the office. But there's something magical that happens when creative people occupy the same space. Last Tuesday: → A designer overheard a strategy conversation → This sparked an idea  → It became our best pitch this quarter That doesn't happen on Slack. The data backs this up: Our London studio (mostly in-office): → New business win rate: +40% → Average client NPS score: 8.6/10 → Team activities: 10/10, still striving for 11/10. Every visitor who walks through our doors says the same thing: "I can feel your culture." Denmark. Canada. UK. Doesn't matter. They see the energy.  The creative chaos. The collaboration. I don’t believe you can build that on Zoom. Our clients don't just buy our work. They buy into who we are. And "who we are" lives in these spaces: → The impromptu whiteboard sessions → The lunch conversations that build morale → The physical artefacts of our best work on the walls → The Friday drinks where juniors learns from seniors Yes, hybrid works. Yes, flexibility matters. Yes, we accommodate different needs. But the companies winning in creative industries? They're optimising for collision. Overheard conversations.  Random encounters.  Shared lunches. The messy, unschedulable moments where culture happens. We didn't take on another floor because we're old-fashioned and deluded. We did it because after 15 years, Signifly knows what works: Great agencies are built in rooms where creative people can't help but inspire each other. That's worth the commute.