When RTO Is Supposed to Reduce Disruption But Doesn’t

Many leaders expected RTO to be a quick fix for the complexities of hybrid work. They assumed proximity would solve misalignment, rebuild relationships, and bring clarity back into the flow of work. But instead of reducing disruption, many organizations have seen:

• Micro-fractures between teams with different work patterns

• Employees questioning fairness, consistency, or rationale

• A dip in productivity as people readjust

• A rise in emotional reactivity, disengagement, or quiet pushback

• Leaders spending more time in conflict navigation than strategic work

Why is this happening? Because RTO is not just a logistical shift—it’s an identity, autonomy, and trust shift. For many employees, the transition disrupts their routines, energy management, caregiving systems, commute patterns, and psychological expectations about what “work” looks like now. When these deeper layers go unaddressed, leaders end up managing reactions rather than building alignment.

Research from MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School shows that disruption doesn’t decrease simply because structure increases. In fact, structural changes without psychological alignment often increase volatility. Employees experience higher cognitive load, greater uncertainty, and more emotional friction during transition periods—even when the changes are rational or beneficial.

RTO falls squarely into that category. The structure changes. The people do not—at least not immediately.

Great leaders understand that stability is not created by policies—it’s created by clarity, communication, and consistent behaviors during transitions.

Three Reasons RTO Increases Disruption Instead of Reducing It

1. Ambiguity Around “Why Now?”

Employees sense when the real rationale isn’t being stated. If RTO is framed as “culture” but is actually about productivity concerns or executive expectations, the mismatch triggers distrust.

2. Operational Inconsistency

Different managers interpret RTO differently. Some enforce. Some flex. Some ignore. Inconsistency breeds confusion, resentment, and inequity.

3. Emotional Fatigue Isn’t Accounted For

After years of rapid change, many employees are operating with depleted resilience. RTO becomes “one more thing”—and small frustrations become amplified triggers.

So What Can Leaders Do?

The leaders who navigate RTO with the least disruption—and the most trust—do these four things exceptionally well:

1. Name the reality.

Acknowledge that RTO is an adjustment. Pretending it’s easy increases resistance. Naming the disruption reduces it.

2. Reconnect people to purpose—not policy.

Instead of “We need everyone back,” try:

“Here’s the kind of collaboration, energy, and decision-making we’re aiming to rebuild—and why it matters to our mission.”

3. Bring consistency where consistency matters.

Clarify expectations. Standardize the non-negotiables. Give managers scripts and alignment tools so you don’t create accidental pockets of inequity.

4. Make space for adjustment.

Allow a transition curve. Create weekly check-ins focused on friction points. Normalize that routines take weeks—not days—to settle.

The reality is this: returning to the office doesn’t automatically restore alignment, energy, or stability. Those outcomes are created through intentional leadership—through the clarity you provide, the consistency you build, and the emotional steadiness you model during transition. 

When handled thoughtfully, RTO can become a catalyst for stronger trust, tighter collaboration, and renewed team performance. When handled reactively, it becomes just another source of noise. The difference lies in how leaders guide their teams through this moment. And that’s where targeted support can accelerate the shift from friction to alignment—quickly.

If your team is experiencing increased friction, misalignment, or volatility with RTO, we can help.

The Lead Through Disruption program is designed specifically for executive teams who are navigating complex, high-stakes transitions like RTO. We work directly with you and your leaders to diagnose the real sources of disruption inside your system—not just the surface symptoms—then build clarity, alignment, and execution-ready behaviors that strengthen team performance.

Whether you need a customized workshop for your leadership team or a full organizational rollout, we’ll help you:

• Reestablish stability and alignment

• Reduce hidden friction and emotional reactivity

• Strengthen trust and communication

• Create consistent leader behaviors across the organization

• Build an operating rhythm your people can rely on

If you’d like this program tailored for your team or organization, reach out to us to schedule a brief conversation to assess what level of support will create the greatest impact.

Leadership Practice

Stability Mapping

This simple but powerful practice helps you pinpoint where RTO friction is coming from.

Map your team’s “stability anchors.”
List the routines, rituals, or ways of working that create clarity and momentum.

Identify what’s currently disrupted.
Which anchors changed with RTO? Which no longer exist? Which became inconsistent?

Choose one anchor to rebuild.
This could be a Monday alignment huddle, clearer decision-making rules, a team charter, or a consistent communication channel.

Reinforce it for four weeks.
Repetition stabilizes teams faster than any policy shift.

Author

Athena Williams, Founder and CEO of Tenacious Leadership Institute, has been supporting leaders worldwide to become more tenacious for over 20 years. She has found that tenacity is the key to sustained leadership success in today’s ever-changing world. Through her coaching and leadership development programs, she helps leaders expertly handle change, complexity and other challenges so they can quickly get better results for themselves, their teams and their organizations.

Take the first step to becoming a tenacious leader by scheduling a call with us.