Return to what, exactly? — Why a Successful RTO Requires a Culture Shift

Jun 3

3 min read

Most RTO initiatives fail not because of resistance to work – but because they ignore one thing: workplace culture. Mandating office days without addressing why employees would want to return leads to resentment, not results. That’s why we were delighted to contribute to our partner Seatti's blog.

Together we explored what actually makes returning to the office worth it — and how to create the conditions where real connection can flourish.

1. The RTO Dilemma – More Than Just a Policy Change

Across industries, Return-to-Office (RTO) policies have become more prominent recently – often positioned as a solution to lost connection, declining innovation, or slipping productivity.

But here’s the problem: most RTO initiatives fail.

When companies mandate days in the office without addressing why employees would want to return, they get resentment, not results.

At Seatti, we work with hybrid teams every day – and the data is clear:

People don’t come to the office for policies or perks. They come back for people.

It’s about shared team days, face-to-face collaboration, spontaneous hallway conversations – in short: it’s all about workplace culture and those human moments that make presence feel worthwhile.

But those cultural moments don’t emerge by forcing people into a room together.

2. Culture Is the Missing Piece

Without addressing the culture underneath, RTO becomes just another compliance exercise.If companies want people to change how and where they work, they need to create a culture that makes showing up feel valuable — not mandatory.

Based on our research at Make It Human, we know thriving workplace cultures nurture three essentials:

Autonomy – People need to feel empowered, not micromanaged.

Meaning – Purposeful work, shared expectations around presence, collaboration, and communication and a feeling that social connection is key.

Growth – Employees show up when they know this is a place where they can learn, grow and make a difference.

Without these, presence becomes passive. People show up physically – but not mentally or emotionally, nor productively.

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3. Where Most Leaders Go Wrong

The belief that presence equals productivity, or that culture happens “organically” once people share a room, is outdated.

Work doesn’t just happen when people are in the same building. It happens when they feel connected, aligned, valued and supported.

Modern leadership requires helping people understand why the office matters again – and co-creating rituals that make office time worth it.

This is not about control. It's about social connection.

Modern leadership asks:

What makes office time valuable for my team? How do I lead with trust instead of control?

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4. Practical Tools for Culture-Based RTO

Together, we believe that a thoughtful RTO strategy combines technology and intentional creation of a growth culture.

Here's how:

🔍 Location Transparency

Let teams see when their colleagues plan to come in to motivate them intrinsically to come together.→ Seatti’s Location Transparency makes this easy.

🤝 Social Nudging

Make in-office moments more meaningful — by design → Seatti gently prompts employees to align with teammates they care about, encouraging natural collaboration across teams.

👥 Leadership Role Modelling

Managers should lead by example – not surveillance‍ → Make It Human trains leaders to build trust in their teams. This fosters connection & serves a collaborative climate. Team rituals and habits can shape conditions for connection and growth, when they’re purposefully designed to do so.

📚 Culture Education

Everyone plays a role in shaping culture. Equip teams with simple skills to rebuild community, not just physical presence.

→ Make It Human provides hands-on workshops and practical tools to develop these skills.

The result? Presence becomes purposeful. Engagement goes up. Retention follows.

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