The Return-to-Office Debate Is Missing the Point | Ep 58 | You've Got People Problems

What happens when employees are told to return to the office, managers don’t trust their teams, and everyone feels busy but not productive? In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Mel Ortiz sits down with Erik “Skip” Moratzka to explore the return-to-office movement and its impact on employee engagement, productivity, and team dynamics. Skip shares research revealing how workplace expectations are shifting. Together, they discuss why bringing people back into the office won’t automatically solve workplace problems. Leaders must also rebuild trust, clarify expectations, strengthen relationships, and help teams work effectively together. In this conversation, they discuss: • Why return-to-office policies are creating tension • How remote work has changed communication and collaboration • Why proximity bias affects employee opportunities • The gap between how productive employees feel and how managers perceive them • How tolerating underperformance frustrates top performers • Why managers need to become coaches, not just individual contributors • How Predictive Index can help leaders improve engagement • Why being busy doesn’t necessarily mean being productive • How unclear expectations lead to wasted time, burnout, and resentment • Why employees need to understand the value of their work Mel and Skip explore how leaders can balance flexibility with accountability, make better people decisions, and build teams where employees feel valued and connected to a meaningful mission. The takeaway? Bringing people back to the office won’t fix everything. Leaders need to invest in coaching, clear expectations, and meaningful connections to create teams that perform well and feel engaged. Timestamps 00:00 – Why return-to-office is a bigger issue than leaders realize 01:05 – Meet Skip Moratzka 04:28 – What the return-to-office data reveals 05:42 – How technology has changed virtual work 06:49 – The challenges of bringing teams back together 08:30 – Are we losing the ability to communicate in person? 10:15 – The hidden effects of in-office interactions 12:31 – The shift toward on-site jobs 14:35 – Why employees are less likely to quit over workplace policies 15:15 – Using Predictive Index to identify potential 17:53 – The problem with proximity bias 19:12 – Why employees want both flexibility and connection 20:57 – The growing gap between employees and managers 22:57 – How underperformers can drive away top talent 25:07 – Why managers need to become better coaches 28:22 – How AI could bring people back together 30:06 – The power of meaningful human connection 32:29 – Why being busy isn’t the same as being productive 33:23 – How unclear expectations create resentment 34:57 – Hiring for the future, not the past 37:32 – Helping employees see the value of their work 38:19 – What makes people feel like valued team members 39:42 – Final thoughts on the return-to-office movement Follow Melissa on LinkedIn: / melissa-ortiz-talent-optimization-expert Visit Activate Human Capital Growth's Website: https://www.activatehcg.com/ Have questions? Email us at info@activatehcg.com