Why Forcing Return-to-Office Will Cost You Your Best People
RTO is killing your talent pipeline
Return-to-office (RTO) mandates are back in fashion. Executives are pounding tables about “culture,” “collaboration,” and “the magic of being in the same room.”
But here’s what they’re not admitting: forcing people back to the office is a surefire way to drive out your top-performing talent - especially women.
The data: women are better at remote work
We’ve tested over five million candidates to understand what makes people thrive in remote roles. The results were crystal clear:
Women consistently outperform men in remote work skills.
Across 16 skill groups critical for remote success - from communication and adaptability to accountability and teamwork - women scored higher in 12 out of 16.
So, if you’re serious about productivity and retention, women are your remote superpower.
Why RTO punishes your best workers
And yet, RTO mandates are disproportionately punishing women.
Here’s why:
Women still carry the bulk of caregiving and domestic responsibilities.
Remote and hybrid setups let them balance these without sacrificing performance.
Forcing them back into the office strips away that flexibility — and strips your company of top talent.
This isn’t about “convenience” or “slacking off.” It’s about enabling people to do their best work without impossible trade-offs.
The Fawcett Society found that 35% of working mothers have had to sacrifice billable hours or opportunities due to childcare gaps. Pile an RTO mandate on top, and you’re effectively telling your best remote performers to pick between work and family. Spoiler: they won’t choose you.
RTO = Retrograde Traditionalist Overreach
That’s what RTO really stands for: Retrograde Traditionalist Overreach.
It’s a throwback to outdated management styles that equate “bums on seats” with productivity. But in a world where output matters more than presence, this logic doesn’t hold.
The business risk: losing your competitive edge
Driving women out of the workforce isn’t just unfair. It’s a competitive disaster.
You lose the very people statistically proven to excel at remote work.
You damage engagement across teams (disillusionment spreads fast).
You tank diversity and inclusion efforts, making your company less resilient and innovative.
The smarter alternative: measure skills, not location
The future of work isn’t about geography. It’s about capability.
Instead of punishing people with RTO mandates, businesses should be testing for the skills that predict remote success - accountability, communication, adaptability, time management.
That’s how you build teams that are not just productive, but engaged and loyal.
Final word
Forcing everyone back into the office won’t fix your performance issues. It’ll just drive away your best people - especially the women who are outperforming in remote roles.
Don’t gamble with RTO. Build your workforce on tested skills, not seat-warming.
