- Judy Chau
- Dec 14, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 21, 2025
December 21, 2025
Judy Chau
Gradually, over the course of a few years from 2023 until now, hybrid work has been fully implemented and has become the new standard. While some employees are open to returning to the office (RTO), those who have made the transition expressed frustration, having experienced a decline in morale, low attendance, and management-imposed collaboration. A Reddit user stated, “My program goes in five days a week and we have some of the lowest morale I’ve ever experienced in a job,” — r/sanfrancisco” Morale, synergy, and energy are all human-centered workplace dynamics that cannot be manufactured through mandates. An uplifting environment is necessary to foster the kind of organic workplace culture where collaboration, networking, team-building, learning, and mentorship can thrive.
Employers have tried many creative ways to make RTO a more pleasant transition, such as welcome back gift packages, free lunch, parking, and gym membership, Recharge/Wellness Days off, flexible hybrid schedule, housing-related benefits, and even annual raises, yet many are not happy. — r/antiwork Some are even choosing to quit, even if it means no severance package or health benefits. In 2023, Salesforce addressed RTO with “the soft approach,” in their “Connect for Good” initiative: for each day an employee came into the office, Salesforce pledged a $10 donation to local nonprofit organizations. Then there are yet other companies that used “the hard approach” like Paramount Skydance: return to the office five days a week starting January 2026, or accept a severance package. For many employees, it’s not a matter of companies taking the soft approach or the hard approach. It is about the people approach, whether employers have thoughtfully considered their employees with empathy and flexibility in addition to amenities. When employees return to the office, will they find themselves looking forward to being there and seeing everyone again, or will they return begrudgingly? In the spirit of mindfulness, there needs to be a more human-centered approach, both a professional and a social approach. Executives, People & Culture Teams, and Department Directors could consider and implement a 3-Step Solution that could gently ease employees back into the office and even become a pleasant experience for everyone.
Step 1. Thank You Dinner
There is absolutely no agenda whatsoever, but to simply express gratitude to the employees for showing up and giving their best. Whether they love RTO or hate it, that will not be the focus of your coming together. This is simply a time to bond over a nice, non-work-centered, off-site Thank You dinner. Treat it like an annual holiday party. Go all out and spoil them. The fact that they are here, they did not resign, and they are presenting themselves for your organization and your cause, that alone is enough to say, “I appreciate you, and I am thankful for our opportunity to work together.”
Step 2. Team-bonding Time
After a heartfelt Thank You Dinner, it’s time to level up. The Thank You Dinner is the beginning, a warm-up. The next step is to create a team-bonding shared experience that actually isn’t so team-centered, a private flower-arranging workshop, but this would not be just another flower-arranging workshop. It is an immersive shared experience taking place at your office or venue of your choice. After the floral designer finishes the live, real-time demonstration of arranging a fresh-cut flower arrangement, each team member will take center stage and create their personal masterpiece. The flower arrangement will be done alone, not a collaborative effort, where each team member can enjoy a relaxing personal time, as flower-arranging is calming and flowers in themselves uplift emotions and benefit mental health. This immersive experience would help each one unleash their creativity. This is also when the personal experience becomes a shared experience as the DJ starts playing songs of your pre-selected genre while doing live mixes, and still taking on-the-spot song requests. While all that is happening, the caterers are quietly setting up refreshments and beverages. By the time everyone’s done, the food is ready. Everyone will “present” their masterpiece to the whole group, one by one, and talk a little about their floral arrangement and design. No one is being pressured to talk to or interact with any particular team member. This is just a relaxing and pleasant environment surrounded by beautiful blooms, getting reacquainted with your co-workers. It’s also a great opportunity to welcome new team members and get to know them. Bonding is organic and much easier when it takes place over flowers, food, and music.
To build on the momentum, do another private flower-arranging workshop in the following quarter. This time, it could be a Flower & Fruit basket arrangement, a cornucopia arrangement, or a wreath-making workshop during the fall and winter months. The purpose is to create opportunities for organic conversations and bonding, then collaboration and creativity exploration will grow. The music is for the vibe. The flowers are for the soul. The food is for the stomach and the soul. When people are happy, morale, synergy, and energy will gradually surface.
Step 3. End of the Year Celebration
This is another opportunity to say thank you, but particularly to celebrate you, your team, your organization, and each other. Annual holiday parties are fun, yet they might pose some inclusivity issues as we all come from different backgrounds and celebrate different holidays. The End of the Year Celebration will be the one time where we celebrate each other and all of our wins throughout the past year, both great and small. It is not a time to give reviews or even to ask for feedback. It is strictly a time to acknowledge everyone’s accomplishments and hard work. Similar to the Thank You Dinner, take this opportunity to yet again spoil your team with awards, raffles, flowers, food, music, dancing, entertainment, and just enjoy each other’s presence.
Take this 3-Step Solution and observe what would happen over time to you, your co-workers, and your organization. While some business leaders admit that RTO policies are a way to reduce labor costs without increasing them, since they drive employees to quit, other executives believe in-person collaboration is crucial for strengthening culture and driving success. This was Paramount CEO David Ellison’s intention with his RTO ultimatum, which resulted in 600 employees accepting their severance package, refusing to return to the office, costing Paramount $185 million. Collaboration, networking, team-building, learning, and mentorship are the priceless values that motivate employees to return to the office in a meaningful way. When it is approached attentively, mindfully, and intentionally, results will sprout again, but not in an overnight mushrooming way. Just as flowers take time and pass through seasons to grow, morale, synergy, and energy need time to develop as well. Rebuilding requires diligence and persistence. Do you think this 3-Step Solution would make the RTO a more pleasant experience for everyone? Has your organization already started similar attempts? Leave a comment with your thoughts and RTO experience.
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Business Insider. September 7, 2025. It's official: RTO mandates are driving workers to leave their jobs — and helping employers avoid layoffs
Human Resources Director (HRD). June 8, 2023. Salesforce offers employees $10 per day for office return
Business Insider. November 10, 2025. Paramount Skydance says 600 employees took severance and quit instead of returning to the office
Reddit Users on Return-to-Office
““My program goes in five days a week and we have some of the lowest morale I’ve ever experienced in a job,” — r/sanfrancisco”
““Everyone in my team is not happy.” — r/antiwork”
