Change in work paradigm.

Turns out that companies need workers to return to the office, not because the work needs to be done at the office. It turns out, that they need the tax cuts they get for people going to the office.

State, and county, governments, give companies tax incentives if a certain number of employees work at an office they open. The more employees, the bigger the tax incentive they get, as such they need people to come in to the office in order to receive that incentive. So, it doesn't matter if the work can be done as well, or better, remotely. It doesn't matter how long the commute is either, they just want the worker to show up so the company reaches the head count needed.

There are some companies that refuse to adapt, they fail to see that some of the jobs they have can be done as effectively, or better, remotely. It even motivates their employees to work harder to be able to keep the job, or not having to go the office. It also increases moral, since remote workers feel better overall since they feel their work-life balance is better off.

At the end, the return to office policies are not for the benefit of employees, but for the benefit of the companies.

Other reason given, is that more jobs  would be created for the services needed for the workers that return to the office. Yet, those same jobs could be created at the place where those employees work from. So, the argument that employees have to return the office to create service jobs is dead on arrival, since those same jobs could be created where those employees work from.

The pandemic showed that remote work is more than feasible, there are jobs that can be done remotely. What is need is to change the paradigm of the relationship of the companies with their workers. If how work is done can be adapted to remote work, even tax incentives and breaks can me adapted to make remote work feasible for governments and companies. Modern technologies can make it work, what needs to be adapted are tax codes.

State, and local, governments that facilitate remote workers to live there could see a lot of benefits to their economy if they do it right. So do the companies that do the same, since a growing number of employees see remote work as non negociable. If companies what top talent, and local governments the tax revenue that come with them, remote work might be the only way they can get that talent and tax revenue.

Employees are aware that remote work is viable, and there is no way to put the genie back in the box.