The Mandate Mirage: 2025 Workplace Futures Survey

Our latest workplace research reveals that the real drawcard for attracting employees to the office in-person is choice — especially when that choice is supported by a workplace designed for more than just work. Download the report.

Now in its sixth year, this year’s survey highlights that rigid return-to-office (RTO) mandates alone are failing to lift in-person attendance. In Australia, office attendance levels have remained relatively flat year-on-year, despite mandates, with 52% of employees working five days in the office. In fact, strict policies have driven dissatisfaction without significantly changing where people work.

Instead, the workplaces drawing people back are those that feel like destinations — merging work, leisure, and lifestyle into a single, connected precinct. Those workplaces elevate with convenience (great coffee, showers, bike facilities) and delight with experiences (gardens, on-site fitness, curated social events). Clear RTO policies paired with meaningful incentives such as bonuses or travel allowances work best when the space itself is worth the commute.

Dr. Daniel Davis, Hassell Head of Research and author of The Mandate Mirage report says the new research confirms what many employers are starting to realise — rules alone won’t bring people back to the office.

“Our research shows that simply mandating people back to the office doesn’t work — stricter policies haven’t shifted attendance, and they have damaged morale. What does work is giving employees a choice and creating workplaces worth the commute. In Australia, we found that attendance was 15% higher in companies that had recently renovated or upgraded their spaces. It’s clear that good design is an important component in driving a return to the office.”

Among the key findings are:

Good design = a more engaged workforce: 15% higher attendance at companies that have recently renovated spaces or upgraded equipment
40% of people in premier office spaces preferring to work in their office than remotely.
Premier spaces preferred: 29% of Australian offices are in “premier” buildings — these record higher employee satisfaction and attendance than “average” or “worst” quality buildings.
Mandates miss the mark: stricter policies have 0% impact on office attendance and reduce satisfaction by 14%.
No reason, no return: 41% lower compliance when companies give no reasons for their RTO policies.
Money talks: 32% higher compliance when financial incentives such as stipends, bonuses, or pay increases are offered.

Davis says autonomy and flexibility remain highly prized, with employees placing value on relaxing, pleasant and engaging spaces and amenities that extend well beyond the traditional lobby.

“It’s evident that clear RTO policies paired with meaningful incentives outperform consequence-free mandates and while we’ve found that incentives do boost compliance, this is even more so when backed by an experience worth commuting for.”

Image: Jon Wright - Blank Canvas Photography

For a copy of the full report, The Mandate Mirage: 2025 Workplace Futures Survey, register below to access now.