From “Return to Office” to “Return to Relationships”
The real workplace challenge isn’t whether employees come back to the office—it’s whether they come back to relationships. Research confirms it: a 2024 McKinsey study found that the strongest predictor of post-pandemic retention wasn’t compensation or flexibility, but a sense of belonging and purpose at work. Similarly, Harvard Business Review reports that teams grounded in relational trust outperform others by 30–50%, even in hybrid environments.
True workplace culture isn’t built by attendance policies—it’s built by connection. Leaders who shift from RTO (Return to Office) to RTR (Return to Relationships) unlock stronger engagement, retention, and performance.
5 Relational Actions Leaders Can Take Today
Audit presence, not just attendance. Engagement matters more than occupancy.
Host listening sessions about connection. Ask where people feel relationally disconnected.
Personalize connection. Move beyond one-size-fits-all culture events to make people feel seen.
Equip managers with relational leadership. Build GENUINE behaviors into training, feedback, and expectations.
Celebrate relational wins. Recognize trust, collaboration, and humanity—not just results.
The New Leadership Opportunity
If your workplace feels fragile post-RTO, you’re not falling behind—you’re discovering what truly matters. The path forward isn’t stricter mandates, but deeper human connection. The GENUINE™ framework from ARCH Impacts helps leaders build cultures of generosity, engagement, integrity, and empathy that drive real belonging and performance.
Shift the conversation: from return to office → to return to relationships.
👉 Learn more at www.genuinerelationships.com .
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