When companies launched their return-to-office plans, many expected employees to roll back in with a latte and a laptop.
Instead, they got a slow clap and a slew of Slack messages asking: “Can this be remote?”
Nandanie Persaud-Veeren, Senior Director Business Development at PYRAMIDWORKS, is a workplace culture strategist with a sharp eye for what makes (and breaks) employee engagement.
She says the problem isn’t remote work … it’s your culture. “If a culture is weak, employees don’t really feel a sense of belonging or shared mission,” she explains.
And without that connection, a fancy desk or free coffee isn’t going to cut it.
The Real Reason Return-to-Office Mandates Fail
Your Office Feels Like a Ghost Town Because It’s Soulless
Let’s face it: no one wants to commute to loneliness.
If your culture is fragmented, the office becomes just another space with fluorescent lights and bad acoustics. “There’s no differentiated experience if you’re coming into the office and it feels just like you’re working from home,” says Persaud-Veeren.
Why leave your dog, your dishwasher, and your dignity behind just to sit in a cubicle and ping your coworkers through Teams anyway? Without meaningful interaction, mentorship, or community, the office becomes a burden—not a benefit.
Add in distrust of leadership or a lack of engagement, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for resistance. “If they don’t really trust their leaders… they may really feel disconnected from leadership or undervalued.” Translation: no one’s packing a lunch for a boss they don’t believe in.
And don’t even try slapping up a fruit-infused water station and calling it a “hospitality program.” According to Persaud-Veeren, real hospitality means creating a workplace that feels “welcoming and supported”—think concierge services, wellness perks, and social spaces. It’s not about perks; it’s about presence.
Mandates Don’t Move People, Magnetism Does
“Make the office a magnet, not a mandate,” Persaud-Veeren insists. That means giving people a reason to be there that doesn’t involve guilt or tracking software.
Start with purpose.
Employees want to know why they’re being asked to return. Not in a vague “collaboration is good” way, but in a clear, mission-driven, leadership-modeled way.
“Tie the office presence to collaboration, to innovation, to career growth,” she says. Then show up yourself.
Leaders shouldn’t hide behind emails—they should be “visible, engaged, and talking to people.”
Also, ditch the rigidity.
Flexibility isn’t a perk; it’s table stakes. “You have to let them know that you trust them,” she says. If someone has three appointments and a better chance of being productive at home, don’t force them to badge in for brownie points.
The ultimate unlock? Belonging. “When you walk in the door, and someone says, ‘Good morning, Cory,’… it feels like you belong there.”
Real culture is built in these small, human moments, not in spreadsheets, and not in strategy decks.
Build Culture Like You Mean It (or Don’t Bother)
A healthy office culture isn’t about in-office foosball or corporate swag. It’s about making people feel “connected, valued, and supported.”
And crucially, the physical space should reflect that.
We’re talking shared values, a clear sense of purpose, and ongoing conversations about how each employee contributes to the bigger picture.
“Bring the employees on the journey with you,” Persaud-Veeren says. That means transparency, open communication, and opportunities to build real relationships.
And don’t overlook the power of small, unscripted moments: “Hey, come to the café at 3 p.m.—we have cookies.” It’s not about sugar; it’s about serendipity. These casual encounters are where trust and camaraderie take root.
The workspace itself matters too. Is it designed for people or just productivity? Hospitality-driven environments, concierge support, wellness options, and collaborative zones are the new standard. If your office still looks like a 1999 compliance bunker, don’t be shocked when no one shows up.
Culture Is a Practice (Not Policy)
One of the most powerful stories Persaud-Veeren shared was also the simplest: “Train your leaders and your managers to facilitate inclusive meetings in person.” No, not another PowerPoint parade. We’re talking open-door office hours, breakfast with a leader, casual conversations in shared spaces.
And yes—food helps. “Set a series of breakfast-with-a-leader events. Have leadership talk about what their journey looked like.”
These sessions aren’t about KPIs; they’re about connection. Especially for younger staff hungry for mentorship, these honest, humble conversations show the human side of leadership and give people something to aspire to.
The goal? Make your office feel like a community, not a command center.
Stop Begging for Buy-In and Start Earning It
The pushback on return-to-office isn’t about laziness. It’s about logic. People know they can do their jobs from home. So if you want them back in the office, you'd better give them something home can’t offer: connection, clarity, community.
Weak culture is the silent killer of every RTO plan. But strong culture? That’s your superpower. Start with trust. Build on purpose. Serve it with a side of pancakes if you have to.
But whatever you do, don’t confuse presence with engagement. One fills a seat. The other builds a team.
Wondering why your office feels empty and how to fix it?
PYRAMIDWORKS helps companies rebuild culture from the inside out, turning offices into places of connection, not just compliance.
If you’re ready to create a workplace that attracts—not mandates—reach out.
Let’s build a culture worth commuting for. Reach out >>