72% of workers suspect RTO mandates are stealth layoffs — sabotage is rising

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Workers are rebelling against RTO mandates more than ever

Enhancv report find many employees see RTO as a path towards layoffs

Younger workers are most at risk, many saying they feel unfairly targeted

New research has claimed that "a new era of workplace sabotage" is seeing workers fight back against unfair policies, particularly when it comes to return to office (RTO) mandates.

The report from Enhancv found nearly three-quarters (72%) of workers suspect RTO as being a way to bring in stealth layoffs via attrition of those employees unwilling to compromise on their working arrangements.

Nearly half (46%) of workers also admitted to "coffee badging" (swiping in and leaving early), a tactic which has become standard among those employees who suspect a hidden corporate agenda.

"The Great Compliance"

"Rather than fostering collaboration, strict return-to-office (RTO) mandates have given rise to The Great Compliance—a phenomenon where workers show up physically to satisfy badge-trackers while mentally and strategically checking out," Enhancv noted.

Its study, which surveyed 1,000 full-time workers across the United States who have been subject to new or stricter return-to-office (RTO) policies within the last 12 months, found a major deficit in trust among employees, especially as AI-related job cuts continue to hit the headlines.

And while RTOs may often be explained as getting a workforce back under one set of policies and rules, the simple truth is that some workers simply won't be able to comply - whether it be for family reasons, or just the fact they moved elsewhere during the past few years.

Enhancv found over a quarter (27.8%) of interviewed employees had been able to successfully negotiate a personal exception to RTO policies - creating a visible two-tier workforce, with those without any leverage may feel left out or unfairly targeted.

This could be especially true for younger workers, and the survey found Gen Z (ages 18–24) and younger Millennials reported the lowest trust in corporate motives, perhaps putting paid to the claim that RTO mandates are vital to training the next generation of workers, with average trust scores nearly 20 points lower than their Boomer counterparts.

“The idea that we need to be present is asinine," one survey respondent noted. "Many come in just to socialize and then go home. No more work is getting done here than at home.”

Enhancv noted how, "by forcing a physical presence that this generation views as performative, companies may be solving a short-term real estate problem while creating a long-term retention crisis with the very talent they claim to be developing."

To add insult to injury for employers, the survey found over one in three employees are now using their time at the office to apply for new jobs or even build side hustles as a financial safety net.

Over a third (36%) said they had applied for a new job while sitting at their current office desk, and a similar amount (36%) had started a side hustle since an RTO mandate had been announced, seeking "extra security" in an environment they no longer trust.

32% also admitted to intentionally reducing their daily output as a form of quiet protest.

"The irony for leadership is clear: the very desks they fought to fill are now being used as staging grounds for the Great Exit," the report concludes.