Skip to main content
Paul Welty, PhD AI, WORK, AND STAYING HUMAN

· business

Bookmark: Half of companies with office space say leases are affecting their RTO policies

Leases are driving RTO policies for half of companies with office space, forcing a balance between costs and evolving work patterns.

The article explores how lease commitments are shaping companies’ return-to-office (RTO) policies, with approximately half of businesses with existing office leases citing these obligations as a significant factor in their decision-making processes. This trend is particularly pronounced among firms that secured office spaces prior to the pandemic, facing the dilemma of balancing unused space against cost-efficiency. The article underscores the tension between companies seeking flexibility amid evolving work patterns and the financial constraints imposed by long-term lease agreements. It highlights that the sunk cost of these leases drives companies to reassess their RTO strategies, often compelling them to encourage or mandate a return to office to maximize their investment. Furthermore, the narrative considers how different sectors are impacted, with technology and financial services appearing more adaptable to remote models compared to traditional industries like manufacturing, where physical presence is more crucial. Companies are thus navigating a complex landscape where operational needs and real estate commitments must align strategically, prompting a reconsideration of workspace utilization that blends in-office and remote work, ensuring competitiveness while adhering to fiscal responsibilities. This insight presents a nuanced understanding of the diverse pressures companies face in redefining work environments post-pandemic.

Half of companies with office space say leases are affecting their RTO policies

Why customer tools are organized wrong

This article reveals a fundamental flaw in how customer support tools are designed—organizing by interaction type instead of by customer—and explains why this fragmentation wastes time and obscures the full picture you need to help users effectively.

Infrastructure shapes thought

The tools you build determine what kinds of thinking become possible. On infrastructure, friction, and building deliberately for thought rather than just throughput.

Server-side dashboard architecture: Why moving data fetching off the browser changes everything

How choosing server-side rendering solved security, CORS, and credential management problems I didn't know I had.

The work of being available now

A book on AI, judgment, and staying human at work.

The practice of work in progress

Practical essays on how work actually gets done.

The product changed its mind

A product pivoted its entire philosophy mid-session — from 'here's your list' to 'here's your next thing.' The code shipped in the same conversation as the idea. That's not iteration. That's something else.

Your project management tool was made for a non-human (AI) factory, not for you

Every project or task management tool on the market descends from Frederick Taylor's factory floor. The assumptions were wrong then. They're catastrophic in the Age of AI.

The last mile is all the miles

Building the product is the fun part. Deploying it, configuring auth, pasting email templates into dashboards, rotating leaked API keys — that's where the work actually lives.

Bookmark: How return-to-office mandates could change in 2025, according to top HR leaders from pwc, ey, and canva

Explore insights from HR leaders at PwC, EY, and Canva on how return-to-office policies may evolve by 2025. Stay ahead in workplace trends!

Article analysis: A shift in remote work? Microsoft and McKinsey address RTO plans in the wake of amazon’’s 5-day mandate

Explore the evolving landscape of remote work as Microsoft and McKinsey respond to Amazon's RTO mandate, balancing corporate needs and employee flexibility.

Article analysis: Why remote work is declining: Analyzing productivity, management preferences, and tech challenges

Explore the decline of remote work as we analyze productivity issues, management preferences, and tech challenges shaping the future of office environments.