Back-to-office orders have become common. Enforcement not so much

Since Cynthia Clemons’ employer announced last month that she was required to be in the office two days each week, the switch from remote work hasn’t been smooth. We feel very strongly about that.” Employees at the DTLA Alliance business improvement district in downtown Los Angeles do not have to follow a formal or enforced attendance policy, Executive Vice President Nick Griffin said, but “the expectation is you should default to working in the office unless there is a good reason otherwise.” “I personally prefer being in the office, to be close to my team and to be able to chat through things at the drop of a hat,” he said. Some of Griffin’s staff work from home now and then, and he highlighted an employee with a small child who lives far from the office who is allowed to work remotely most of the time while being “among the most productive members of our team.” “One of the things that we have found is that good employees are good employees, whether they’re in the office or remote, and mediocre employees are mediocre, whether they’re chained to their desk or not.” The DTLA Alliance’s accommodation of the employee with a young child and a long commute reflects the challenge bosses have in meeting the desires of employees in different stages of their lives and careers as companies move past one-size-fits-all attendance policies. “The younger generation needs the older generation to be there to pass down that knowledge.” Being in the office can boost employees’ mental health, Brink said, especially if it has a variety of work spaces that allow staff to both collaborate and work privately. “One of the reasons people do want to come in to the office is to connect with one another,” she said, “because it’s been really challenging for many people to be so isolated.” Free food and drinks, comfortable furniture, and communal work tables can be draws, Brink said.