Immenstadt – November 06, 2026 -- Mercedes-Benz plans to let managers require full-time employees to work in the office up to four days a week without justifying the order, with the rule expected to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Michael Fuchs, founder of consultancy Five4Success, argues that attendance quotas do not fix leadership problems. In his view, the quality of collaboration depends on how a company organizes it, not on where staff sit.
Four mandatory office days do not improve communication on their own, Fuchs argues
If employees spend office days at screens, answering e-mails or joining video calls, physical presence adds little value, according to Fuchs. He adds that AI already handles tasks that once required several people, including data analysis, report drafting and first-draft solutions. Those tasks mainly require quiet and few interruptions.
AI output still needs human review, raising the value of in-person debate
AI can produce convincing analyses and recommendations within seconds, but people must judge whether they are correct and fit the business. Fuchs says this requires teams to challenge assumptions and weigh consequences together. He sees in-person contact as most useful for resolving conflicts, developing ideas and preparing for fundamental change.
Managers must tolerate dissent or flawed AI results will slip into decisions
Fuchs warns that employees who fear consequences for critical questions will stay silent, and faulty AI output can then enter decisions unnoticed. He says middle managers increasingly need to balance tensions between departments, guide change and turn strategy into practice, as AI takes over reporting and information condensing.
Office value should be measured by outcomes, not attendance rates
Fuchs proposes judging office time by whether conversations resolved conflicts, produced insights or improved decisions. A return to the office can make sense, he says, but it does not resolve unclear responsibilities, low trust or a weak communication culture.