Johnny C. Taylor Jr. answers workplace questions every week on USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of SHRM, the world’s largest human resources professional organization, and author of Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.
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Question: I’m doing great in a remote environment, but my boss keeps pushing me to come back to the office. I’m having a hard time understanding this push since he doesn’t point out any performance issues. What’s the point of coming to work in person when you can do a great job from home? – Nureem
Answer: There’s a truth that many employees don’t want to hear. Doing a good job from home doesn’t automatically subvert your employer’s expectations about where that work will be done.
In other words, this is not a performance issue for you. It’s about alignment.
Employers have the right and responsibility to decide how work is done. This includes whether the role is in-person, remote, or hybrid. Those decisions are not made to single you out. These are driven by leadership philosophy, long-term business strategy, collaboration needs, talent development, and how leaders believe their culture is built and maintained.
And yes, culture really does matter. Employees don’t just create jobs; They grow, learn, and build trust through collaboration. Proximity also makes certain things easier, such as informal coaching, real-time problem solving, relationship building, and visibility into how decisions are made. For many organizations, especially those focused on developing future leaders, these benefits are not optional but strategically important.
That doesn’t mean remote work doesn’t have a place or value. Depending on the role, it can work very well. And certain people are more focused, more productive, and more engaged at home. Results matter, and when delivering results, it’s natural to ask why location matters so much.
But here’s the important difference. Employers do not manage individuals in isolation. They manage the system. Leaders worry about consistency, fairness, and unintended consequences. For example, dividing your employees into two classes: those you see every day and those you don’t. Even when performance is strong, visibility still plays a key role in collaboration, development, and progress. It’s nothing personal. It’s an organizational reality.
So what should I do?
First, let’s be clear. Ask your manager what will encourage them to come back. Are you talking about collaboration? Team cohesion? Leadership development? Even if you don’t like the answer, it’s important to understand the “why.”
Second, be honest with yourself. If working remotely is simply a personal preference, you may need to determine whether that preference outweighs the benefits of remaining with your current employer. If remote work is essential to your best work or your life circumstances, you should intentionally seek out roles that are intentionally fully remote, rather than exceptionally remote.
Let me just say this: culture is not something that can be negotiated on an individual basis. The employer establishes it. Employees choose whether it works for them or not.
Success today is less about forcing change on organizations and more about finding the right organization. Sometimes that means adapting. And sometimes that means moving on. Either way, clarity always beats confusion.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
