To end the week, the TOTEM Branding team has this gift for all HR, talent, and culture managers, people managers, and leaders of companies and organizations. The answer to the million-dollar question mentioned in this post title:
Amid the debates about hybrid and remote work, The Economist helps us answer it. This week’s article explores how different work models affect the internal culture of organizations.
Let’s start with the main insights.
1. More days in the office = more agility… but less human connection.
Companies that require full in-person attendance (5 days a week) report greater organizational agility and speed of response.
However, they suffer declines in:
Leadership quality
Level of support and emotional support
Internal transparency
Work-life balance
In other words: they gain speed, but lose humanity.
2. Most prefer flexibility.
Forcing everyone to return to the office full-time does not improve performance.
In fact:
It increases turnover
It decreases satisfaction
And it doesn’t generate clear improvements in productivity
Companies that opt for hybrid models see fewer resignations and better well-being indicators.
3. Culture depends on what you’re looking to build
If your priority is accelerated innovation and spontaneous collaboration, the in-person office has advantages.
If your goal is a more inclusive, sustainable, and emotionally intelligent culture, hybrid or remote work may align better.
There’s no single recipe: there are strategic decisions based on the type of culture you want to cultivate.
4. What does the data say?
Working hybrid:
Maintains or improves productivity
Reduces turnover by 30–35%
Improves work-life balance
100% remote work can affect the integration of new talent and psychological safety.
So, what’s the conclusion?
Does remote work kill company culture?
No. But it does force you to rethink the type of culture you want to build.
If you need speed, constant contact, and agile decisions: the office is your ally.
If you’re looking for long-term engagement, well-being, and loyalty: flexibility is key.
The most effective approach isn’t extreme, but hybrid: combining high-value in-person moments (strategy, mentoring, innovation) with remote workspaces that foster balance, autonomy, and trust.
Because culture isn’t just about shared coffees or visible desks. It’s about shared purpose, symbols, coherence, trust, and, above all, belonging.
We’ve been experiencing this for a while now, and a sense of belonging flourishes when culture empowers, excites, and inspires.
In short, culture doesn’t die from working from home. It evolves. And each organization decides where to go.
