I’ve spoken with over 100 Colorado CEOs in 2021 and asked them all about returning to “normal” office function and the work from home (WFH) phenomenon.  Excepting those companies that must have employees on site to function (and “thank you” to them!), never before have I experienced an extended stretch during which there was a universal sense of uncertainty about one aspect of business – an uncertainty that stretches across business type, corporate culture, size of company, geography – even relative success.   It’s amazing to me that as we are emerging, there is still not a “best practice” prescribed.  I am starting to see some ideas that seem to be forming as better than others.  For example, while Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, said anyone can work remote one day a week that isn’t Monday or Friday, another company has taken the opposite policy  – that employees need to work in the office together on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and can be remote on Monday and Friday.   

Even as COVID becomes less of a driving force in these policies, companies, particularly culture-focused Colorado companies, will be choosing policies based on the talent they want to attract and retain.  From what I’m hearing, I expect we’ll see patterns emerging after Labor Day, and still being modified at least through year-end.