After two years of supporting remote work, employers are eager to have their workers back in the office. According to new research, about half of leaders say their company already requires or plans to require employees return over the next year. However, experts warn that this might not be the best approach. Although remote work has challenges, the pandemic has demonstrated that flexibility is possible, and the majority of employees aren’t ready to give that up. According to the same report, 52 percent of employees are looking to switch to a remote or hybrid job this year. “A lot of business leaders have told me that they don’t believe in hybrid work, that it has no place in their culture,” said Elise Freedman, a workforce transformation practice leader at Korn Ferry who is helping companies coordinate their return-to-office plans. “But the companies who push for a full return-to-office could see serious ramifications if they don’t offer employees the kind of flexibility and environment they’re asking for … they’ll just leave.” For a successful return-to-office policy, employers need to clearly communicate the value they’d be gaining by bringing people back. Freedman concludes, “That starts with answering ‘What is the role of the office, and how do we get our most effective work done?’”