Return-to-Office Mandates Hurt Engagement, MIT Study Finds

Return-to-office mandates, implemented by 37% of companies in 2025, up from 17% the previous year, are failing to foster connection and are instead harming employee engagement, according to MIT Sloan Management Review research. Companies such as Amazon, JPMorgan, and AT&T have issued these mandates with the expectation of increased connection and engagement, but data suggests the opposite is occurring. The study found that these policies lead to more employees leaving their jobs, particularly top performers, with 8 out of 10 companies reporting talent loss due to return-to-office rules. Furthermore, the research indicated no discernible improvement in financial results for organizations enforcing these mandates, suggesting a net negative impact.

Contrary to the common belief that in-person work inherently builds connection, the research revealed that office-based workers reported the highest levels of disconnection from their work at 35%. This figure was higher than that of mostly remote workers (31%) and significantly higher than fully remote workers, who reported the lowest disconnection rate at 21%. This finding challenges the notion that remote work is the primary driver of isolation, indicating that employees physically present in the office are more likely to feel disconnected.

The implicit promise of the office environment, which includes the effort of commuting and preparing for the workday, often leads to an expectation of meaningful social interaction. However, the reality in many modern offices falls short of this expectation. Employees often find colleagues participating in virtual meetings via Zoom even when in the same building, and open-plan layouts, intended for collaboration, can create an atmosphere where conversation feels disruptive, resembling a library. Meetings continue to be conducted on screens, even when participants are in close proximity, undermining the intended benefits of in-person collaboration and connection.