Abstract:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, employee well-being has become central to the psychological contract (Rousseau, 1968). Hybrid work offered a “sweet spot” (McGrath & Davies, 2026) which improved work-life balance and retention. (Georgiadou et al., 2025). Yet organisations are increasingly requiring full-time office presence (Brower, 2025) though it risks undermining productivity (Beijer et al., 2025) and the creation of an inclusive culture.

Watson (2011) calls for research into how organisations truly function. Our study investigates how employees perceive RTOs. We wish to explore the gap between rhetoric from CEOs which frames RTOs as cultural transformation with the reality of employee’s experiences. We want to find out how shift to full-time RTO mandates will allow organisations to thrive. We ask how will this new shift align with sustainability and inclusion policies? We are particularly interested in focusing on working parents as RTOs challenge families on logistical, financial, psychological and affective levels, particularly for those with pandemic-babies and young children as a hybrid work model may be all they know as a family.

Management implications are significant as line managers can buffer staff from new top-down directives, (Hallier & James, 1997). Confidence in managing work-family responsibilities can enhance engagement and well-being (Dong et al., 2025). Poorly managed RTO policies risk breaching the psychological contract. Restubog et al. (2008) highlight the importance of fair treatment in sustaining trust, relationships and organisational citizenship behaviours.

Contribution
The impact of RTO mandates on employees with families remains underexplored, and our research will provide multi-level perspectives. This study will conceptualise insights from employees affected by RTOs across career stages, sectors, and countries. We integrate psychological contract theory with family spillover and organisational cultural transformation concepts.

Research Design and Methods
We propose a mixed-methods approach. A LinkedIn survey will ensure anonymity and broad participation. We will follow-up with semi-structured interviews. Our epistemological stance is pragmatic (Lorino, 2018). Following Georgiadou et al. (2024), we adopt a holistic, multi-level lens of individual, group, organisational perspectives. Variables include role, line manager support, career stage, gender, parental status, country, and organisational nationality. We will examine alignment or misalignment with EDI policies. We will explore how AI is used to track performance and asses its role in the shift toward the rhetoric that RTOs can help employees and organisations thrive.

Please choose your submission type: Developmental Paper

Primary Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development

Keywords: Change Management

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Dr. Gemma McGrath

Biography