I’ve been watching the return-to-office drama unfold with a mix of fascination and frustration. Amazon’s 5-day mandate triggered 2,000-employee walkouts. SAP faced over 5,000 employees signing protest letters. The rhetoric from both sides grows more heated by the day.

The landscape of work has transformed dramatically in recent years. What was once considered a temporary adjustment during global disruption has evolved into a permanent shift in how teams function. According to Buffer’s State of Remote Work 2023, an overwhelming 98% of remote workers want to continue working remotely for the rest of their careers, with 91% reporting a positive experience.

As organizations continue to cancel events, many companies are also pushing employees to work remotely. For those of us who have been working remotely for years, this is just another day. However, for those new to remote work and managing remote teams, it can be a huge shift in worker dynamics. For many, employee trust rears its head.