As a low level manager I've been trying to figure out the push for back to the office. Personally, I am thrilled with the work my employees have been doing and that they can work from home. Then I needed help from HR to open a new req and the way they said some things and new rules they had gave me a new insight that I hadn't heard.
Two things you hear about as companies ask employees to go back in the office are productivity and control. The companies claim more productivity better culture, the detractors claim the companies want to flex the managerial oversight. I dont think either is the real reason. It's about saving money. Not on lease penalties, real eastate, etc. It's about wages. A local market helps reduce wages for large companies. Even national companies. Does Walmart pay the same in Albuquerque as Los Angelos – no. The same is true for office jobs that can be done at home. Programmers get paid less in Phoenix than Silicon Valley.
That call center is in Kansas for a reason. That tech center is in a Phoenix suburb for a reason. They can pay less. If the worker in Kansas can apply for and do a job for Silicon Valley wages then Kansas companies need to increase their pay scales.
Am I wrong?