Around 60 percent of remote workers report that employers have already demanded more time in the office, while one in six employees say they would quit if forced back full time. Perhaps most striking, 10 percent state that no incentive would be enough to bring them back at all.
This is not a short term reaction. It reflects a fundamental reset in how people value work, autonomy and wellbeing.
For organisations, the implications are significant. Employees are no longer simply weighing up perks or policies. They are assessing whether the workplace adds genuine value to how they work and live. Where that value is unclear, resistance grows, disengagement increases and retention risk follows.
Taken together, these insights point to a clear conclusion. Incentives alone will not solve the challenge.
This is where facilities management has a defining opportunity to lead.
FM sits at the centre of the workplace experience. It has the ability to move the conversation beyond incentives and towards value. The question is no longer how to bring people back. It is why they would choose to return.
The first shift is to recognise that flexibility is now an expectation. Employees place increasing importance on autonomy and control over their working patterns. Facilities management must design workplaces that complement this, not compete with it. This means seamless hybrid environments, easy transitions between locations and a reduction in friction across the user experience.
Second, the workplace must offer something distinctive. Employees will not commute for tasks they can complete elsewhere. They will travel for collaboration, connection and access to shared resources. FM can lead by creating high quality meeting environments, adaptable collaboration spaces and social settings that genuinely enhance interaction.
Third, experience must outweigh incentive. Financial or lifestyle perks may influence behaviour at the margins, but they are not decisive. The everyday experience of the workplace, from comfort and technology to atmosphere and usability, is what ultimately shapes whether people attend and engage.
There is also a productivity dimension. Many employees recognise that the office can support collaboration and focus, yet concerns around commuting, distractions and work life balance continue to act as barriers. This tension highlights the need for better designed environments that support both individual and collective performance.
Data should underpin this transformation. Understanding how often people attend, why they attend and how they use space allows FM to continuously refine the workplace. This ensures that investment aligns with actual behaviour rather than outdated assumptions.
Finally, there is a cultural opportunity. Resistance to return is not simply about location. It is about trust, autonomy and how people experience work. Facilities management, working alongside leadership, can help create environments that reinforce these values and rebuild the case for the office.
The message is clear. The workforce has changed and expectations have moved with it.
Facilities management is uniquely positioned to respond. By focusing on purpose, experience and flexibility, FM can transform the workplace into a destination that people actively choose. In doing so, it can unlock higher levels of engagement, productivity and long term organisational performance.