As of 2025, many companies have shifted from flexible work policies to requiring employees to return to the office five days a week. This move has sparked tension between leadership and staff, with workers feeling micromanaged and controlled. The push for full-time in-office work is seen as a strategy to trim payroll through attrition rather than formal layoffs. However, research suggests that highly skilled employees, working parents, and caregivers are most likely to leave after strict return-to-office mandates. Employees are now faced with the decision to push back against these mandates or seek roles that offer more flexibility.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Why stricter return-to-office mandates may push top performers out the door