Remote Work and In-Office Presence: Six Years Later, What Do Performance and Retention Really Tell Us?

Remote Work and In-Office Presence

In 2020, many companies adopted remote work out of necessity. Six years later, we are no longer limited to the impressions left by that period. We now have studies that have tracked actual employee performance, promotions, and turnover, including after the return to the office.

One of the most insightful studies was published in Nature. More than 1,600 employees at a technology company were divided into two groups: one working five days a week in the office, and the other following a hybrid schedule of three days in the office and two days from home. Over the following two years, researchers found no significant differences in performance evaluations or promotions. However, the employee turnover rate in the hybrid group was approximately one-third lower. Nature

For employers, this is a finding that is difficult to ignore. Replacing an experienced professional takes time and can result in a loss of institutional knowledge, project delays, and additional pressure on the team. If a hybrid work model helps retain more talent without compromising performance, flexibility becomes a talent management consideration rather than simply an individual preference.

The potential risks should also be considered when an organization tightens its in-office attendance policy. A study examining 54 major U.S. technology and financial companies that announced return-to-office mandates found an increase in employee turnover following these announcements. Middle and senior managers, as well as highly skilled employees, were among the groups most affected. The study also found that positions took longer to fill after these policy changes. Hankamer School of Business

At Cielo, we are observing a similar trend firsthand. When an employer increases the number of mandatory in-office days, we regularly receive calls and résumés from finance professionals who were not necessarily actively looking for a new opportunity. A change in workplace policy can sometimes be the deciding factor that prompts them to explore the job market.

This does not mean that the office has lost its value. Spontaneous interactions, onboarding, mentoring, and certain decision-making processes often benefit from in-person collaboration. The question is therefore not about choosing between the office and home, but rather determining when in-person presence truly adds value.

In our conversations with accounting and finance professionals, flexibility frequently comes up. It does not replace an engaging role, competitive compensation, or a good manager. However, when two opportunities are comparable, flexibility can tip the scales. And for someone already employed, losing a level of flexibility that was working well can be enough to make them reconsider their options.

Perhaps the right question is no longer: “How do we bring everyone back to the office?” Instead, it should be: “What level of in-office presence helps our team perform at its best, and what level of autonomy helps us retain our talent?”

After six years of collective experience, employers now have enough perspective to evaluate their own results: performance, collaboration, onboarding, talent attraction, and retention. A sound workplace policy should be grounded in the organization's actual needs and the outcomes it aims to achieve, not simply in a preference for a specific number of days in the office.

Hugo Friedrich
Director, Business Relations at Cielo

hfriedrich@cielocanada.com
514-817-6338

Remote Work and In-Office Presence

Demande de Document