Business leaders are increasingly asking employees to return to their office desks, believing it will boost teamwork and productivity. However, new research suggests this move could come at a high price. Large companies that push employees back into physical offices are seeing more of their top talent leave—especially experienced, skilled, and female staff.
Conducted by researchers led by Dr. John Yang from the University of Pittsburgh and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, this study takes a closer look at how these office return decisions are affecting companies. Their findings are published in the journal Management Science, a peer-reviewed publication that covers research in business and economics.
Carefully studying millions of career changes from public profiles on LinkedIn, the research focused on dozens of major technology and financial companies. After firms announced that employees must come back to the office, there was a clear jump in the number of people quitting. Those who left were often women, senior team members, or employees with strong skills and experience—groups that companies usually work hard to keep.
During the height of the pandemic, many workers adjusted to doing their jobs from home. They saved time by skipping daily commutes and could better manage family life. Now, as companies roll out office return rules, employees are feeling the stress of lost flexibility and broken promises. Long hours spent traveling and less control over personal schedules are pushing many to look for jobs that offer more freedom.
“Employees started leaving at a much higher rate after the return-to-office rules were introduced,” Dr. Yang explained. These resignations, they noted, are not random but often include the most valuable workers—those with experience, connections, and skills that are hard to replace. While companies may hope that office attendance improves unity and oversight, it’s clearly making some employees look elsewhere.
Finding replacements for these workers isn’t easy. Since these changes, companies have taken longer to fill open jobs, and they’re bringing in fewer new hires than before. On average, it’s now taking nearly a quarter more time to fill a position than it did previously. This means more time and money spent recruiting, with fewer people willing to accept jobs that come with strict attendance requirements.
Gender differences are also clear. Women are walking away from these firms in larger numbers than men. This could be linked to added home responsibilities and the need for better work-life balance—something remote or hybrid roles help provide. Hybrid roles refer to jobs that allow a mix of working from home and working in the office. Those in higher positions or with more specialized knowledge are also more likely to quit, likely because they have strong options and are in high demand elsewhere.
“This study shows how costly it can be when companies force employees back to offices,” Dr. Yang noted. Losing trusted, talented workers can lead to problems in performance, innovation, and the overall work atmosphere. Innovation refers to the ability to develop new ideas, products, or processes that keep a business competitive. It’s not just about filling seats—it’s about who’s leaving and how hard it is to find someone equally capable.
Companies are being encouraged to think twice before requiring a full return to traditional office setups. While meeting in person has its benefits, the downsides may be even greater—especially if it pushes away the very people who help a business succeed. Keeping flexible work options may not just be popular with employees; it might be a smart long-term business move as well.
Studies like this help companies understand the real effects of policy decisions. For any business wondering what the workplace of the future should look like, the message is becoming clearer: forcing workers back into offices might create more problems than it solves, especially when it drives away the most capable people.
Journal Reference
Ding Y., Jin Z., Ma M., Xing B., Yang Y. “Return-to-Office Mandates and Brain Drain.” Management Science, 2024. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4675401
About the Author
Dr. John Yang is a researcher specializing in organizational behavior, labor economics, and workplace dynamics. He is currently affiliated with The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where his work focuses on how corporate policies impact employee behavior, workforce stability, and talent management. Dr. Yang holds a Ph.D. in business-related studies and has contributed to several high-profile research projects examining the effects of return-to-office mandates, employee turnover, and hiring practices in large firms. His expertise lies in using large-scale data and real-world employment trends to draw insights that help organizations make better management decisions. Known for his collaborative work on issues at the intersection of business strategy and human capital, Dr. Yang brings a unique perspective to modern workforce challenges. His research continues to influence both academic and corporate conversations on employee well-being, retention, and the evolving future of work in a post-pandemic world.
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