The great return to office standoff: bosses vs staff

An epic post-pandemic workplace culture clash is hotting up this summer, pitting bosses who want everyone back in the office against workers who have embraced autonomy and flexibility. Even if leaders won’t say so publicly, many of them want to see workers at their desks. Host Isabel Berwick talks to organisational behaviour expert Professor Anita Woolley about the reasons why CEOs won’t let go of control - and why staff are always likely to resist their demands. 

Then the FT’s chief UK business correspondent, Dan Thomas, tells Isabel about the current state of office occupancy, and the secret frustrations of business leaders with staff who refuse to undertake (increasingly expensive) commutes. The pair discuss whether looming recessions and economic woes might give business leaders the upper hand. 

Want more?

Office returns stall as UK workers cling to flexible working - Dan Thomas and Ella Hollowood

https://www.ft.com/content/5ed49b8a-6c69-418c-9a26-7f43a99b1d1f

Why CEOs are so WTF about working from home - Gilliant Tett opinion column

https://www.ft.com/content/8a3f1fa7-8c0c-4068-b0d9-f12c84f0b8d6

Stanford professor Nick Bloom’s WFH Research - lots of useful data here

https://wfhresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WFHResearch_updates_June2022.pdf

…and why asking for five days a week in the office means fewer workers comply

https://twitter.com/I_Am_NickBloom/status/1534535041702711296/photo/1

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Presented by Isabel Berwick. Editorial direction from Renée Kaplan and Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Produced by Novel.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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