Building a Smart Return-to-Office Plan: What to Consider
Faced with new realities of post-pandemic work environments, many businesses are still trying to find a balance between flexible work arrangements and the perceived benefits of in-person attendance. This dynamic is pushing human resources departments to adapt more quickly than ever, as they seek to address employee well-being while optimizing operational effectiveness.
Your organization may be debating whether to require employees to return to the office and if it should be mandatory for everyone. If you decide to move forward with the project, a key question arises: how do you determine which employees should return in-person and which should continue working remotely?
In this article, we explore the return-to-office (RTO) current trends and present geospatial solutions that help organizations in preparing for such initiatives.
Return-to-Office Trends in Post-Pandemic era
Even though many employees prefer to work from home, most companies are planning to implement return-to-office (RTO) mandates, or already have. According to a report by Resume Builder, 87% of companies are planning to enforce a return-to-office policy by the end of 2025.
However, the traditional 5-day model is considered outdated. The majority of companies are operating with a hybrid model, while 30% require employees to be in the office full-time.
But why do companies ask their employees to go back to the office? Organizations that want to implement an office attendance policy should therefore be aware that it comes with certain challenges. Many companies ask employees to return to the office to enhance collaboration and creativity, which they believe is more effective in person. In-office work can also strengthen company culture, build stronger team dynamics, and provide better opportunities for mentorship. However, a well-planned return-to-office strategy from human resources is essential to maximize the project success, as some employees may be reluctant to return to the office.
How to Evaluate and Plan a Return-to-Office Policy
What’s the best way to plan a successful return to the office policy? While different initiatives need to be put in place, like strategies for employee’s engagement and a communication plan, the mapping of employees’ location is an important preliminary step to determine which employees need to return in-person and which should continue to work remotely.
Geospatial Mapping of Employee’s Location
The geospatial mapping of the employees’ location involves analyzing the geographic distribution of the organization workforce to create clear, data-driven boundaries for return-to-office policies. This type of mapping provides valuable insights by considering factors such as the distance between employees’ homes and the office, commute times and accessibility to public transportation. By doing geospatial analysis, organizations can make informed, data-driven decisions about who should return to the office, ensuring policies are based on objectives and measurable criteria.
Tech Company Use Case: Return-to-Office Plan with Korem
A tech company recently worked with Korem to develop a data-driven approach for their return-to-office policy. Faced with the challenge of determining fair and transparent guidelines, the company relied on Korem’s geospatial expertise to analyze and define optimal work zones for its employees.
Phase 1: Geospatial Analysis of Return-to-Office Zones
Korem conducted a geospatial analysis considering multiple variables, such as straight-line distances, driving distances, and travel times, including public transportation options. These criteria allowed Korem to model several return-to-office zone scenarios tailored to specific requirements. For this first phase, Korem used HERE Isoline API, Alteryx ETL and Precisely Mapinfo. The results were delivered as geographic data files and static maps, which clearly outlined the geographical boundaries around the company’s office locations.
Phase 2: Optional Integration and Visualization
As an optional second phase, Korem offered the integration of these zones into an interactive mapping tool, using Raster Tiles API and Geocode API from HERE Technologies. This allows employees to easily visualize their location in relation to the established office zones, enhancing clarity and engagement across the organization. Korem provided support for seamless integration into the company’s existing systems.
Outcome: Data-Driven Decisions based on well-defined zones
By leveraging Korem’s geospatial analysis, the tech company gained actionable insights for implementing their return-to-office policy. The clearly defined zones enabled informed decision-making while ensuring transparency with employees. The option to integrate the zones into online maps further supported communication and employees’ buy-in across the organization.
Project Deliverables:
Geographic return-to-work zones presented in multiple formats (geographic files and static maps);
Documentation detailing the methodology used in creating the zones;
Support for integrating the return-to-work zones into the company’s internal systems, ensuring full interoperability.
Choose Korem's Solutions to Map Employee's Location
With the most diversified geospatial expert team in North America, Korem offers mapping expertise to support HR teams in their decision-making process, through the creation and analysis of customized geographic zones.
If your business chooses Korem to support its mapping project, you’ll have access to geospatial developers and technical advisors to build a solution tailored to your specific needs.
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