Presence With Purpose: What Companies Must Consider about Remote Work

As more companies return to hybrid or fully onsite work, I keep coming back to a simple question: If we’re asking people to be physically present again…what are we actually using that presence for?

We can’t really rewind to pre-pandemic. Work changed. People changed. Expectations around flexibility, productivity, and trust changed. And for many employees, performance didn’t drop when they left the office—it actually improved.

So, when organizations decide that onsite time should increase, the “why” matters more than ever. It can’t just be about proximity for proximity’s sake or leaders feeling secure within their control.

If people are commuting in, that time should feel different—not just a change of scenery from remote work. It should be where in-person presence actually adds something you can’t get through a screen:

Faster collaboration and real-time problem solving
Deeper mentorship and coaching moments
Relationship-building that strengthens trust
Decisions that benefit from shared context and energy

Otherwise, employees start asking a fair question: What’s the point of being here?

And honestly, that’s where a lot of friction shows up—not in the requirement itself, but in the lack of clarity and communication. around it.

Most people aren’t anti-office. They’re anti-wasted-office-time.

They don’t mind coming in when it’s useful, engaging, or meaningful. What frustrates them is showing up to sit on video calls all day, doing the exact same work they could have done remotely—just with a commute added on top. That’s not collaboration. That’s relocation.

Thus, if we’re going to bring people back in more consistently, maybe the better conversation isn’t how often, but how intentionally.

Because proximity, when used well, is powerful. It accelerates ideas. It strengthens relationships. It builds momentum. But when used poorly, it just feels like distance with extra steps.