Office mandates are hinting at five-day workweek return, sparking debate on work flexibility

The debate over office mandates has intensified recently, sparking discussions about whether the push for employees to return to physical offices is just a prelude to a full-scale return to five-day workweeks. A certified resume writer, Morgan Sanner–who goes by @resumeofficial on TikTok–captures this sentiment perfectly, raising questions about the true intentions behind these mandates and their impact on employee morale and productivity. The video begins with Sanner's observation, as she says, "Anyone else feels like these returned office mandates, where they're asking for two or three days in the office, are really just a stepping stone to get everyone back five days a week?"

Sanner's video highlights a shocking statistic, as she adds, "64% of CEOs were willing to admit that they wanted their companies to go back to five days in office." This discovery stands in contrast to the changing perceptions of remote labor. "87% said that they would be rewarding in-office attendance with financial rewards and promotion opportunities, which quite literally goes against performance management 1:01," she further adds. The move makes clear that this strategy runs counter to the fundamentals of performance management, which hold that output and productivity, rather than just visibility, should serve as the main indicators of success.

Sanner also talks about this outdated mindset. "Employees will always do the thing they get rewarded for and they will not do the thing they're not getting rewarded for." Focusing on being physically present at work instead of actual performance changes the priority from making a real impact to just being noticed. It could result in employees putting more effort into being visible rather than doing meaningful work. "It fosters visibility over value creation," she shares. Moreover, when high achievers are told when, how and where to work, it can feel like micromanagement, especially if they are already doing well on their own.

Sanner's frustration is evident in their call to action, "If you love them at work, be sure to follow along. And if you don't like remote work, come up with a better insult than lazy. I'm getting a little bit bored of that one." It highlights a bigger issue, the ongoing negative view of remote work. Simply calling remote workers lazy ignores the fact that many people are productive and successful in their work environments.

The video sparked discussion about trust and how work is evolving and many started sharing their views and experiences. "Meanwhile, those CEOs stay on remote and talk about how they work better remotely," commented @h8traid_auntie. "Remote work has proven to increase efficiency and yet CEOs insist on this. Why do they get paid so much?" asked @karlachssoldier. "I bet this will change as boomers exit the workforce and Gen Z infiltrates. We need a slow shift to work from home due to the economy around in-office culture." prompted @lovemore_stephs. "Millennials are the ones in management now and I don't think they'd agree. They would need to persuade the CEOs a lot though," added @princejack12341. 

You can follow Morgan Sanner (@resumeofficial) on TikTok to learn more about workplace norms.