Will Zoom’s return-to-office policy help other employers with RTO?

Zoom is asking its employees to return to the office at least two days a week, a move that some experts believe can benefit HR leaders at other organizations.

“If Zoom says that they made the decision because they recognized that there is only so much that can be done effectively via videoconferencing, HR leaders might seize on this as strong support for the idea that some in-person collaboration is critical, given that it is certainly not in Zoom’s self-interest to put forth such an argument,” says Brad Bell, professor of strategic human resources and director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies at Cornell University.

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Zoom’s decision can also be seen as an endorsement of the hybrid work model, says Gleb Tsipursky, who is CEO of the hybrid work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts and author of the book Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams. If a company at the forefront of remote work sees value in in-person collaboration, it might encourage HR leaders to find merit in blending remote and in-office work, he says.

See also: 5 ways HR can help soften the blow of return-to-office mandates

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