As we move through 2025, the way we work continues to shift. For many organizations, hybrid models have become the norm. For others, “return to office” mandates are getting stricter – with more and more time mandated to be spent in the office.
Despite the convenience for many of remote work, there are strong reasons why hybrid workers still choose to or should go into the office.
The primary drivers for in-person work haven’t changed: the desires for collaboration, engagement, team building, improved culture, and even subtle psychological factors like balancing recency bias.
Here will explore a few of the drivers for in office work:
1. Real Collaboration Happens In-Person
Virtual meetings are helpful and for many quick calls are pretty effective. There’s still something special about collaborating face-to-face though. The chat before and after the meeting, the rapport building and the personal connection.
Spontaneous conversations, quicker brainstorming sessions, and the energy of shared spaces make the office an ideal place for problem-solving and innovation. By 2025, most offices are equipped with tech-friendly, flexible workspaces designed to encourage teamwork in a way that digital platforms struggle to match,even as they themselves have innovated.
2. Stronger Engagement Through Shared Experiences
Working remotely can at times feel isolating for some people, making it harder to stay connected to their colleagues and company’s mission. Time in the office can bridge this gap, offering shared experiences like team lunches and interactive workshops that strengthen engagement. It doesn’t sound like a lot – but these little things can have big impacts on people’s feelings of belonging and wellbeing.
Some companies are starting to plan dedicated in-office days for teams or even all colleagues for activities that go beyond work, focusing on connection and meaningful interactions that remote settings often lack. Building these personal relationships can strengthen the ability of many to work remotely some of the time.
3. Building Team Bonds That Last
It’s tough to truly bond over a screen – never getting the idle “water cooler” or walk to and from the meeting room chat. Being in the same physical space often allows people to pick up on non-verbal cues and engage in more authentic conversations. In-office days are perfect for team-building exercises that help build trust and friendships. For many in 2025, the office needs to offer a blend of tech-enhanced and traditional activities to keep team-building fresh and effective – for both hybrid and in-office workers.
3. Building Team Bonds That Last
It’s tough to truly bond over a screen – never getting the idle “water cooler” or walk to and from the meeting room chat. Being in the same physical space often allows people to pick up on non-verbal cues and engage in more authentic conversations.
In-office days are perfect for team-building exercises that help build trust and friendships. For many in 2025, the office needs to offer a blend of tech-enhanced and traditional activities to keep team-building fresh and effective – for both hybrid and in-office workers.
4. Reinforcing Company Culture
Company culture is tricky to build and maintain when everyone is remote. Offices showcase culture in tangible ways, from the way spaces are designed to the activities they host – even the faces people wear.
In-person moments help people absorb and feel part of the company’s values. More and more companies are designing their office spaces as hubs that reinforce culture, making employees proud and connected. Coming to the office isn’t so much about “working” as it is about connecting people, and invigorating the workforce so that when they leave – they have a stronger than ever sense of company mission, purpose and their place in it.
5. The Power of Recency Bias
Recency bias, or the tendency to value recent experiences more, plays an important role in why workers come, or should come, into the office. A great in-office experience—like a productive meeting or fun team lunch—sticks with employees and makes them more inclined to return. This bias can also impact how managers see their teams, making it beneficial for workers to occasionally show up and stay visible. People tend to have higher opinions of people they’ve seen more recently – and this can have serious consequences if office attendance levels vary significantly between different team members. There’s possibly HR and policies considerations to be made here too, to make sure everyone is on the same page about expectations.
The Future of Office Attendance
In 2025, the office isn't just a place to work but a space that needs to add value to people’s work life for them to want to go. It needs to foster connection, boost engagement, and build culture. Hybrid workers will resent going in just because they are told to; they’ll gladly go in though if it makes their work and relationships stronger. Companies that understand this will focus on creating office experiences worth the commute, blending the best of remote productivity with the irreplaceable benefits of in-person interaction.
Want to learn more or discuss how askAiB can help you make sure your office is a vibrant, productive place that people want to be in?
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