What I mean by that is that for sufficiently large organizations, you can have options for folks. Some teams can be remote, hybrid, or in person. But make sure the teams understand what their structure is and have them build their processes and tools around that as appropriate. Then if you have an employee that wants to go remote, have them join one of the remote or hybrid teams. Have someone who wants to go to the office every day? Great, you can still be on a remote team, or here are the in person teams available to you as well (although realistically in person is preferred so you aren’t using up teleconference rooms unnecessarily).
For smaller companies, and as someone who started a remote first company in ‘17, it really needs to be an all or nothing. Being mixed creates weird dynamics on small teams, and it takes a lot of diligence to include the remote team members on off the cuff conversations.
I, for one, don’t plan on ever going back to an office full time. My wife and I just purchased our first home, and we bought a large enough place for two offices so we could both stay remote. We do multi generational living with my mom providing child care during the day, and a one year old running around like a banshee. It’s a really wonderful setup and I’m thankful to see so much of my son each day during these early years. No in person meetings come even remotely close to being as valuable as the time I get with him.
But, as with all things, these are just my $0.02. I get why there are varied opinions on this, and don’t begrudge companies that are going to ask everyone to go back in.