A recent report by researchers from universities in the US and China reveals that the implementation of return-to-office (RTO) policies is leading to a significant increase in employee turnover. The study, titled ‘Return-to-Office Mandates and Brain Drain,’ analyzed over three million tech and finance workers through LinkedIn, showing that companies with strict RTO mandates are experiencing higher rates of skilled employees leaving their jobs.

The findings indicate that employee turnover rates have surged by an average of 14% post the enforcement of RTO policies, with senior-level and highly skilled employees being the most impacted. Notably, female employees are three times more likely to resign due to office-working requirements, often due to increased family responsibilities. Companies are now taking 23% longer to recruit new employees, with an overall hiring rate drop of 17%.

The study concludes that RTO mandates are costly for businesses and have negative effects on the workforce. The data comes at a time when there is a push towards full-time office work in the tech industry, exemplified by companies like Dell and Amazon requiring employees back in the office. However, research shows that a majority of workers prefer the flexibility of remote and hybrid working arrangements. In fact, over three in five employees are now embracing hybrid work setups, suggesting a shift towards a new norm in the way we work.