Remote work is here to stay, and honestly, why wouldn’t it be? After proving we can be just as productive (if not more) from the comfort of our homes, the argument for Return to Office (RTO) feels like dragging us back into the stone age. Think about it; no more awkward commutes, no more small talk while waiting for the elevator, and, best of all, no more soul-crushing traffic. Yet, for some reason, company leaders are still pushing for that RTO dream, as if we’re all suddenly going to fall back in love with fluorescent-lit cubicles and stale breakroom coffee.

We’re not!

One of the biggest myths about remote work is that it creates impersonal, transactional relationships between employees. Sure, if you’re just exchanging email chains and Slack messages, it can feel that way. But the solution isn’t to drag everyone back to the office. It’s to build more human connections virtually. The same way you’d bump into someone at the water cooler, remote teams can foster casual, regular conversations. All it takes is a shift in mindset—encouraging employees to chat with each other, have virtual coffee breaks, or even join team-building activities online. I have virtual happy hours with my team that are not mandatory and we just… shoot the breeze. It’s nice to unwind and connect with people you work with on things other than work, all while sitting around in shorts in the comfort of your own home and petting the belly of your favorite pet.

And let’s be real for a minute: dragging yourself out of bed, getting dressed, commuting to a half-empty office, and then hopping on Zoom for your meetings anyway (because half your coworkers are still remote) is completely nonsensical. Why wake up early, battle traffic, fight for a parking spot, and then sit at a desk only to stare at the same screen you would be staring at from home? The emotional and actual cost of this whole ordeal is absurd. Gas, tolls, parking fees, wasted time, and the inevitable stress from traffic all pile up, making RTO seem like a punishment rather than a privilege. But maybe that’s the whole point? To punish you because ten years ago someone decided to have a 25-year lease on an overpriced office building in the middle of the concrete jungle just so they can stamp their company’s shitty logo on top of it. And now that it sits half-empty, it suddenly doesn’t feel like an investment.

So why are company leaders so obsessed with getting people back in the office? Here’s the sad truth: many feel like they “own” their employees’ time when they can physically see them working. It’s about control, not productivity. But the honest fact is that what they’re really paying for is expertise and results, not the warm body sitting at a desk from 9 to 5. Leaders pushing RTO need to accept that the world has changed, and clinging to outdated notions of “face time” is a fast track to losing top talent. People aren’t just coming to work anymore; they’re working from where they want, how they want, and proving it’s not only possible, but better for everyone. If you can be just as productive doing your work while your dog comfortably naps by your chair, why would you want to drag yourself into an empty icebox to sit alone and type away? So, let’s stop pretending that RTO is some kind of necessary evil. And for the record, Mr. CEO, you never owned my time, so I am not coming back. Now here’s my report.

Full Disclosure: I am a full-time remote employee. My whole company has embraced remote work and we are all happy and thriving!

Allen Firouz
EVP, Chief of Operations
Hekima Business Solutions