Boss demands full return to office, resulting in his best employee refusing to do more than the minimum 9-5: ‘Flexibility works both ways'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Aug 11, 2026 7:15 PM EDT

Why do bosses expect the maximum out of employees when they refuse to give the maximum in return?

In case someone forgot, employment works both ways. The need for a job to be done comes from the employee and the employer alike. Sure, an employee needs the job because they need the money, but no one would have been willing to pay money if they didn't need someone to actually do the job. So why do employers act like they don't need good employees as much as good employees need them?

Once employers started looking at employment as a two-way street, they might realise that if they expect their workers to care about the job, they should show the same amount of care to their workers. Think about it: the only employees who truly go above and beyond in their job are the ones who really like their workplace, and how can one like a workplace when it does not treat you right?

That is the major reason for the shift that happened in this workplace. Up until now, employees were shown full trust, never having their hours recorded, and granted the option to work from home for two days a week. Then, a new director showed up, who decided to institute many changes in the company, including a demand for a full return to the office 5 days a week.

No more flexibility for the employees led the star worker to show no flexibility on his side too. This meant that he went from being the guy who always showed initiative, stayed late, was always the one his boss could count on, to the guy who arrives every day at exactly 9 AM and leaves at exactly 5 PM, and never does anything that's beyond his job description. Why should he give his above and beyond when the company doesn't do the same for him?

Since he isn't doing anything wrong, his boss can't blame him for anything, but that doesn't mean that he will be around for much longer. What does that mean? Keep reading to find out.

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  • Disappointed employee in an office.
    via Minerva Studio

    Disappointed employee in an office.

    Subjects are models.

  • Best Employee is Fighting Back Against RTO

    We recently got a new executive in our department who is looking through everything with a fine tooth comb and asking tons of
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • organizational questions and shifting responsibilities around. As a result, my director wants me and my team to have more
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • deliverables, show a real cohesive team environment, showcase what we do, and overall straighten up our posture and kiss a bit of at in front of her.
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • One of those changes he instituted was a mandatory 5 day return to office. Currently our company is 3 days, but I've been extremely
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • flexible with my team where I don't log days or hours, and have an attitude of "you know what you need to do, get it done" regardless of what time or locations it's done at.
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • My star employee who has over the last year taken on much more responsibility to the point that I am looking at leadership positions for
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • him did not take this well and instead I've seen his fire completely go out. He no longer participates in happy hours or off the cuff
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • conversations, he no longer goes to vendor events, lunches, etc, he stopped showing up to other offices when it benefited me or him,
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • he turned in his laptop for a desktop, removed all work apps from his phone, comes. in exactly at 9, takes a full hour lunch, and leaves exactly at 5.
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • Working in a full office.
    via Arvin Mogheyse

    Working in a full office.

    Subjects are models.

  • I could previously count on him for a late night change in our environment, hop on an early morning call with an overseas vendor, stay a few
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • minutes later and make up for it elsewhere, represent my team traveling across the county, etc and that's entirely gone. He used to come to be with really good
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • ideas, tell me when he thinks we need to change course on a project, joined meetings with his seniors to discuss project strategy, etc. He has
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • now become a strict 9-5 employee who does nothing that isn't his written task from me, and absolutely nothing more.
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • I don't fault him for any of this at all. I understand what he's doing, but my director has started to notice and is asking me what's going on. He has the attitude of "shape up or ship out".
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • He isn't doing anything wrong or insubordinate, so I don't know how to handle this. I'm stuck between understanding my best
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • employee and upper management pressure. Any advice would be appreciated.
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • wy100101 Have you considered telling your manager it is a direct result of forcing RTO, and he should have been prepared for this? Does he not realize happy employees tend to be
    via wy100101
  • much more engaged and enthusiastic? He did this, and seems like you aren't willing to tell him as much.
    via wy100101
  • Crispy--Lettuce OP His attitude is our employees should be happy they're employed and if they're not we have a line out the door of people who will take his job
    via Crispy--Lettuce
  • bawjaws2000 Flexibility works both ways. An inflexible employer creates an inflexible employee. If there are no perks to working there anymore, then what incentive is there to go the extra mile?
    via bawjaws2000
  • Flying DutchLady He's on his way out. You can't do anything about it. Start planning for the day when he leaves.
    via FlyingDutchLady
  • natethegr8r Pretty simple. Tell him happy employees are productive employees and his new policy is hurting morale.
    via natethegr8r

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boss return to office workplace-stories employee manager job tales-from-the-workplace rto workplace company
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