Think RTO mandates are the key to a thriving, high-energy office? Think again.
An August 2024 survey by ResumeBuilder.com found that 87% of companies plan to enforce RTO mandates by the end of 2025. But a growing body of research suggests that forcing employees back to the office does more harm than good.
A new study, Return to Office Mandates and Brain Drain, analyzed 3 million tech and finance professionals on LinkedIn and found that RTO mandates aren’t just unpopular; they’re actively driving top talent away:
- Employee turnover jumps 14% after RTO enforcement.
- Women are nearly 3x more likely to quit than men when forced back to the office.
- Senior employees lead the exodus, taking institutional knowledge and leadership with them.
- Highly skilled workers are among the first to leave, meaning companies don’t just lose employees—they lose top talent with critical expertise.
- Hiring gets harder, with time-to-hire increasing by 23% and new hire rates dropping by 17%.
And that’s just the start. A May 2024 study from the University of Chicago found that even tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and SpaceX are struggling to retain leadership and expertise under these policies.
The takeaway? Mandating office attendance isn’t solving business problems—it’s creating new ones.
A case for remote work flexibility
Test Double has been fully remote since 2011—not because “remote-first” was the goal, but because flexibility is.
"I don't know that we ever set out to be remote-first," says co-founder and CEO Todd Kaufman. "We’re a 'work however you work best' environment. The idea that being in an office automatically makes you productive is ridiculous to me—almost as ridiculous as assuming remote workers aren’t getting anything done. I’ve seen the opposite play out more times than I can count."
That flexibility isn’t just about making work more convenient—it’s a game-changer for job satisfaction, well-being, and retention.
Tammy Lawlor, a delivery partner at Test Double, had a child in 2024. Being fully remote gave her the freedom to balance doctor appointments, family time, and career growth—all without sacrificing productivity.
“Could I have gone back into an office here in Columbus three times a week? Sure,” she says. “But as a working parent with an infant and two teenagers, commuting to an office on prescribed days would have made me less productive and less happy at work.”
And the benefits don’t stop with existing employees. Remote work transforms how we recruit. Instead of limiting our hiring pool to a single city, we get to pull from the best talent across the U.S. and Canada. It’s not about filling seats; it’s about assembling an elite team of top-tier engineers and product experts—because when geography doesn’t dictate hiring, we don’t have to settle.
How flexibility fuels better work
At Test Double, remote work isn’t a perk—it’s a deliberate choice that helps people do their best work.
Senior software engineer Lewis Sparlin joined the team largely because of its flexible, remote-first culture.
“The encouragement to work in the way that works best for you was a pretty good differentiator,” Sparlin said. “For me, being at home in my own quiet office with the agency to do my best work is what gets that done.”
But flexibility alone isn’t enough. Success in a remote environment requires intentionality. That’s why Test Double invests in the skills and tools that make remote collaboration seamless.
“It makes us learn how to communicate better and communicate asynchronously better — which are skills that are beneficial no matter what,” she pointed out.
Remote work at Test Double isn’t about making do without an office—it’s about building a culture where people are empowered to work at their best.
The future of work isn’t rigid—it’s flexible
RTO mandates might come from good intentions, but in practice, they sideline valuable team members by forcing a one-size-fits-all approach that simply doesn’t work for everyone.
Remote work breaks down barriers and puts people first—allowing employees to shape their work environment in ways that make them more productive, engaged, and fulfilled. It’s not just about morale—it’s about results. When people feel supported and trusted, they do their best work.
The evidence is clear: RTO policies aren’t driving innovation—they’re driving talent away. In a time when flexibility and trust matter more than ever, shouldn’t workplace policies reflect that?
At Test Double, we’re building the future of work on trust, autonomy, and flexibility. Want to be part of a team that values you for how you work best? Visit our Careers & Culture page to learn more about life at Test Double and how you can help shape the future of tech—on your terms.
