Planning Your Return Strategy

30th June, 2025

FROM VISION TO EXECUTION

A successful return to the office does not happen by decree. It happens by design. It requires a structured plan that accounts for people, space and time.

VISION OVER LOGISTICS

Strategies that start with logistics – like desk layouts or tech stacks – often fail. To succeed, you must start with vision. Leaders must ask: “Why are we asking people to return?” and “what kind of work environment are you creating?” A compelling vision connects actions to outcomes and helps secure the “leadership alignment” critical for transformation. Rebuilding in-office presence is not just about policies. It is about identity.

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

THE PHASED TIMELINE

The most effective returns are staged, not rushed. At Maris, we advise clients to plan the return as a series of deliberate waves rather than a “Big Bang” event.

Phase 1: Pilot.
Start with volunteers or high-energy teams. This allows you to test the space, the systems and the “vibe” with a sympathetic audience.

Phase 2: Refine.
Gather feedback, iterate on the layout and solve teething issues. “Snagging” isn’t just for furniture; it is for culture too.

Phase 3: Scale.
Gradually roll out to broader teams with tailored support. This approach allows for “agile implementation,” creating psychological safety and ensuring the organisation is brought along at every step.

THE CFO’S CORNER:

CLARITY PLUS AUTONOMY

Total rigidity will breed resistance. But total flexibility often leads to chaos. The winning formula for leadership is “Clarity plus Autonomy”.

Clarity: Define the framework. Set core collaboration days, expected in-office presence, booking norms and shared behavioural expectations.
Autonomy: Offer choice within that framework. Allow teams to decide how they coordinate their schedules to meet those expectations.
The Result: People want to be trusted, but they also want to understand “what success looks like”.

MARIS TOOLS:

THE CHANGE COALITION

You need more than a project team; you need advocates. We recommend forming a Change Coalition or “Return Champions” group.

Who they are: A cross-functional, cross-level group empowered to speak up.
What they do: They shape communications, test assumptions and act as the “human face of change”.
Why it works: This is not a tick-box committee. It is a mechanism for trust. Champions can surface blockers early and drive accountability at every level

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