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Subscribe here13. March 2025
HR trends and what they mean: In-person collaboration
Welcome to Personio Pulse: This Week in HR, where each week we take a look at the latest trends in the world of work, what you need to know about them, and what they mean for you as an HR professional.
This week, it’s all about returning to the office (RTO). Some of the latest data from LinkedIn paints an interesting picture about how in-person collaboration could be leveraged to boost office attendance.
What you need to know
What’s not working when we talk about RTO? According to LinkedIn’s latest Workplace Learning Report, almost three quarters (72%) of employees are happy to work from the office when their boss thinks it would be meaningful — but 50% do not want more mandatory office days.
This begs an interesting question: What does “meaningful” even mean? And is the current backlash to RTO polices, like the one Amazon experienced, due to policies being too prescriptive or forceful? To answer that, LinkedIn asked employees directly.
What they found was that planning meetings (57%), creative brainstorms (62%), and review meetings (62%) were some of the most attractive reasons for employees to come into the office. Mainly because these meetings were considered better at boosting relationships, engagement, and decision-making.
What others are saying about it
In conversation with Personnel Today, Janine Chamberlain, Head of LinkedIn UK, explains:
“The future of work isn’t about forcing people back into the office; it’s about making sure that when they do come in, it’s worth it. The companies that get this right—those that create spaces for meaningful collaboration, idea-sharing, and relationship-building—will be the ones that keep their best talent engaged. That starts with listening to employees and making in-person moments truly valuable.”
What that means for you
Whether you want them in the office all of the time, or only certain days of the week, employee buy-in is important if you want your RTO policies to be successful. We’d suggest considering the following:
Concentrate opportunities for collaboration: Many organisations prioritise days of “no meetings” to inspire focus work, but what if you took the opposite approach? Your organisation might benefit from identifying “collaboration days” that seek to make coming into the office a more productive affair.
Keep your options open: There are very few organizations that have “figured out” RTO. You should keep your policy as a “living document” that can change with the times, and communicate that to your employees — they’ll appreciate not feeling boxed in by the policy itself.
Figure out the “why” for your organisation: Coming into the office is attractive to different employees for different reasons. You may need to start by surveying your staff to find out what they want, and then think about ways to incentivise coming in (breakfasts, workshops, learning opportunities). Your policy should be built around your people.
What else should I read?
That's all for this week's edition of Personio Pulse: This Week in HR. Check back next week as we continue to dissect the latest trends impacting the ways we work.
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Max Specht
Max Specht is a Workplace Trends Expert at Personio. He enjoys writing and discussing topics related to employee engagement, leadership development, HR technologies and how teams can respond to the latest trends.
