Returning to the Office: Lessons in Change from Emerson Manila Shared Services

The Covid-19 pandemic brought many changes in the way we all live and work, not the least of which was a move to off-site, remote, and hybrid work. As the world returns to a degree of normalcy, some organizations would like to move back to traditional in-person work requirements. But what happens when the majority of a firm’s workforce has grown accustomed to and prefers their remote work arrangement? Is resistance to on-site attendance inevitable, or are there strategies to handle this transition in a way that employees can accept? 

This case study investigates how the change management team from Emerson Manila Shared Services (EMSS) used planning and communication to smooth the path to bringing workers back into the office.