In brief
Return-to-office strategies place significant responsibility on managers, yet many are not equipped to handle the expectations placed on them. This article explores how inconsistent guidance, unclear performance expectations and increased oversight responsibilities are creating pressure at manager level, and outlines how HR can better support them.
Part 3 of 5 in The People Space return-to-office series. Back to full series
Return-to-office strategies are often defined at leadership level.
They are experienced most directly at manager level.
Managers are the ones expected to:
- explain the policy
- apply it to different roles and individuals
- respond to questions and concerns
- maintain performance and engagement
This places them at the centre of the tension between organisational intent and employee experience
Return-to-office strategies succeed or fail through managers, not policies
The problem
Managers are being asked to interpret and implement policies that are not always clear.
In many organisations, they are expected to:
- decide when flexibility is appropriate
- handle requests for exceptions
- ensure fairness across their teams
- maintain productivity without relying on visibility
These expectations are rarely supported by clear guidance.
As a result:
- decisions vary across teams
- employees receive different messages
- managers carry the pressure of getting it wrong
What appears as inconsistency at an organisational level often reflects uncertainty at manager level.
Why this happens
Return-to-office strategies are often designed without fully considering how they will be applied day to day.
At leadership level, the focus is on:
- setting direction
- managing risk
- signalling expectations
At manager level, the reality is different.
Managers are dealing with:
- individual circumstances
- team dynamics
- workload pressures
- performance conversations
Without clear frameworks, they are left to bridge the gap between policy and practice themselves.
This creates a form of hidden labour.
Managers are not only leading their teams. They are also:
- interpreting policy
- managing ambiguity
- absorbing employee frustration
- making judgement calls without clear criteria
Over time, this can lead to fatigue and disengagement.
What the evidence suggests
Research into management effectiveness consistently highlights the impact of clarity and support on manager performance.
Managers who understand what is expected of them and how to make decisions are more likely to:
- lead consistently
- build trust within their teams
- maintain performance over time
Where expectations are unclear, the opposite tends to happen.
In the context of return to office, this often shows up as:
- over-reliance on presence as a proxy for performance
- avoidance of difficult conversations
- inconsistent application of policy
These behaviours are not a reflection of poor management. They are a response to unclear systems.
What HR should do next
HR has a critical role in reducing the pressure on managers and improving consistency across the organisation.
1. Define what good looks like
Clarify how performance should be assessed in hybrid environments.
What outcomes matter and how should they be measured?
2. Provide decision frameworks
Managers need structured guidance on:
- when presence is important
- how to handle exceptions
- how to balance flexibility with team needs
3. Build manager capability
Leading hybrid teams requires specific skills.
This includes setting expectations, managing output and having effective performance conversations.
4. Create space for alignment
Managers need opportunities to compare approaches, share challenges and align on how policies are applied.
Key takeaways
- managers are central to how return-to-office strategies are experienced
- unclear expectations create inconsistency and increase pressure
- reliance on presence often reflects a lack of clarity around performance
- HR can strengthen outcomes by providing clearer frameworks and support
Return-to-office strategies do not succeed or fail in policy documents. They succeed or fail in how managers apply them.
Continue the series
Next: Why office space matters more than attendance mandates. Read Part 4
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