8 in 10 Indians embrace return to office policy, flexibility, well-being major concern: Report

Mumbai, Nov 4
More than 8 in 10 Indians have expressed positive sentiment in returning to office (RTO), with flexibility, well-being major concern, according to a report on Tuesday.

The JLL Workplace Preference Barometer 2025 report showed that 82 per cent of Indian employees are subject to work-from-office mandates, with the majority (8 in 10) expressing positive sentiment toward RTO policies.

The leading sectors driving RTO adoption are technology companies, BSFI, and the education sector.

Indian corporates have successfully cracked the code on workplace excellence, with 83 per cent of employees describing their work environment as close to ideal -- a figure that significantly outpaces the Asia-Pacific average of 64 per cent.

“This is a pivotal moment for Indian organisations. As hybrid work matures, we see 83 per cent of employees expressing positive sentiment towards return-to-office policies, underscoring the need for workplaces to be high on human-centred design. Talent attraction is also being reshaped with six in 10 now citing flexibility as their top priority when choosing a new employer,” said JipuJose James, Managing Director, Project & Development Service (PDS), India, JLL.

About 60 per cent of employees cited flexibility as the primary factor when selecting new employers, outperforming the APAC average of 54 per cent.

Importantly, the research also highlighted a growing wellbeing challenge, with 54 per cent of employees experiencing moderate to elevated levels of burnout.

The statistic represents millions of workers whose productivity, engagement, and loyalty are compromised by unsustainable work pressures and inadequate support systems.

These interconnected challenges -- burnout affecting more than half the workforce and flexibility driving 60 per cent of employment decisions -- create a perfect storm that threatens organisational performance and talent retention simultaneously.

“Employers that wish to attract and retain top performers must move beyond simply mandating office attendance. Instead, they should focus on creating workplaces that employees actively want to be part of, offering flexibility that genuinely improves quality of life, addressing burnout through sustainable work practices, and investing in inclusive, future-focused skills development,” said Kamya Miglani, Head of Work Dynamics Research, Asia Pacific, JLL.