We keep asking people to come back to the office. They keep finding reasons not to.
How do you make office days irresistible, especially in December?
Here’s what most return-to-office strategies miss:
👉 You can’t mandate connection. But you can design for it.
The Problem with Forcing It
Mandating office days without changing what happens during those days only creates resentment.
People show up physically but check out emotionally. They’re there because they have to, not because anything meaningful happens.
You end up with bodies in chairs — and minds somewhere else.
What If December Changed Everything?
December has something no other month offers: built-in permission to prioritize connection over productivity.
To slow down. To share moments. To remember why we actually like working together.
So instead of fighting hybrid resistance, what if you used December to bridge it?
The December Advantage
Imagine your team genuinely looking forward to coming in — because:
• There’s real anticipation about what’s happening each day
• Connections form naturally across teams
• Work feels more human, less transactional
• They’re part of something that feels special, not just scheduled
This isn’t about bribing people with parties.
It’s about creating the experiences that remind everyone why being together matters.
Building the Bridge
A well-designed December changes how people feel about office time.
Instead of “we have to be here,” it becomes “I wonder what’s happening today.”
Instead of counting down to home time, people start looking forward to tomorrow’s connection.
You’re not forcing culture change — you’re inviting it, through small, daily moments that add up to something bigger.
The Hybrid Gift
Here’s the beautiful part: when you create genuine connection in December, it doesn’t just solve your return-to-office challenge.
It makes hybrid work actually work.
Because people who feel connected in person bring that same energy back to their remote days too.
Try This
Launch a simple December Moments Calendar:
✨ Each day, spotlight one micro-connection — a cross-team coffee, a gratitude wall, a five-minute story exchange, or a shared playlist.
One spark a day can change how people feel about being together — in December and beyond.
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