Trump RTO mandate highlights the messy reality of bringing workers back
It turns out, return-to-office is a messy business.
Last week, President Trump’s order to have all federal workers back in the office full-time, sparked further debate around the real motivations of rigid RTO orders. While the prospect of high attrition doesn’t seem to be a deterrent, given the executive order was given alongside a hiring freeze (with departments reportedly asked to draw up lists of people they could fire), some workplace experts have said that the short-term talent cull could make it harder for the government to compete for skilled workers in the future.
Ultimately, a whole array of questions around actual implementation and the impact such a large-scale RTO mandate could have on individual agencies’ cultures remains. In short, RTO is fast becoming the proverbial can of worms.
“Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary,” a statement from the White House reads.
Sweeping RTO statements from CEOs and other business leaders don’t address how these exceptions should be handled equitably, without breeding resentment, nor do they address other elephants in the room like what happens if an RTO mandate doesn’t result in higher productivity and collaboration? And how do you handle if it staff were hired under the premise of working remotely, and do not live near their offices?
The reality will be a lot more nuanced than the sweeping statements about RTO indicate, experts say. “The implementation of this mandate will vary widely across federal agencies, with significant discretion left to department heads,” said Danaya Wilson, CEO of BetterCertify, an environmental safety, compliance, and professional training company.
“Some agencies may adopt hybrid models or allow for limited exemptions based on job roles or employee circumstances. Others, particularly those with operational or public-facing functions, may enforce stricter full-time, in-person policies,” she added.
But the lack of a clear, unified framework could become a problem, Wilson stressed. Without this, “these discretionary decisions could lead to inconsistencies in enforcement and potential inequities across agencies. The lack of clarity may also create confusion and resistance, complicating the transition and exacerbating morale issues within the federal workforce,” she added.
Last May, 1.2 million federal employees, or 54% of them, worked fully on-site, according to a report from the Office of Personnel Management. The remaining 46% were eligible to work from home, presumably in hybrid arrangements. And ultimately, about 228,000 federal workers were specifically in remote-work-only arrangements.
What’s clear is that executing the rollout will take time, as it will in any organization.
“This has been a long time in the making, and it will take quite a long time to implement,” said Deborah McGee, CEO of PZI Group, which provides international human capital solutions.
Federal workers will also likely submit a flurry of accommodation requests asking to work remotely. Employers are required to offer reasonable accommodations to staff with disabilities who request them under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) The ability to work remotely was the most requested workplace accommodation last year, according to a survey from AbsenceSoft, a platform for leave of absence and accommodations management, which included responses from 2,400 HR leaders and employees.
Remote work arrangements have also been incredibly beneficial for certain groups of workers, like women and those with caregiving responsibilities, who shoulder a large burden of household responsibilities. Being able to work from home has removed barriers to creating more inclusive workplaces, even as DEI comes under attack. Some agencies may have the ability and discretion to make exceptions for these staff, though they are not part of a protected class under the ADA.
“Childcare costs have exploded in the U.S. and the reduced commuting time of WFH helped many employees reduce childcare costs and also the daily stress of managing care when schools close or family members are sick,” Ellen Kossek, professor of organizational behavior and human resources at Purdue University.
Several workplace experts believe the federal RTO mandate is in part a move to set the standard for working arrangements – with the government serving as a model for private industry.
“If you’re an employer that’s considering instituting a return to office mandate, it will be very interesting to see what the compliance is, because this is obviously a large-scale experiment, so to speak,” said Rick Hermanns, HireQuest, President and CEO.
“While this action may not put an official end to working from home as many firms – especially start-ups, sales, and consulting organizations – are expected to use remote and hybrid work as a critical organizational strategy for managing growth, it will send a symbol to encourage more business leaders who are already uncomfortable with WFH to put return to office policies in place,” Kossek said.
“National organizations and leaders set the cultural narrative about what is normal and productive working,” Kossek added.