Rethinking Return-To-Office For Tech Organizations: Gravity Over Mandates

Nik Froehlich of Saritasa argues that return-to-office mandates fail because they force attendance without generating collaboration or trust, causing senior engineers to leave for roles valuing remote autonomy. Leaders should audit specific collaborative tasks like design reviews and architecture discussions instead of requiring daily presence. Companies must invest in friction reducers such as reliable AV equipment and comfortable workspaces while measuring outcomes including retention rates rather than badge scans.