Winter 2024
Article
Management and Business Review

Return to Office Decisions: A Culture Question?

Format:Print
| Pages:8

Abstract

Company culture is an important source of competitive advantage and differentiation. Even in times of crisis, leaders must attend to their company’s culture, designing it in alignment with their strategy and priorities. One of the most consequential decisions that leaders have grappled with in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is whether and how to bring employees back to the office. Organizational culture has proven to be a major consideration in how leaders approach this decision. We conducted an exploratory analysis of mode-of-work announcements from major firms and found that, during the pandemic, many companies sought to shift their culture toward learning, innovation, and adaptation. Leaders also tended to emphasize different culture styles depending on what mode of work they had chosen. Those who chose an office-first plan emphasized purpose, shared ideals, and contributing to a greater cause. Those announcing a remote-first approach emphasized safety, caution, and preparedness. Leaders announcing hybrid plans, meanwhile, tended to evoke a blend of values, though the implementation of these plans reflected the unique cultural attributes of each company.