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Remote work isn’t dead.

But it’s being rebranded… as an executive perk.

While CEOs log in from their countryside homes, frontline teams are herded back to their desks.

This isn’t just a bad look. It’s a culture killer.

In this article, I’ll break down the growing leadership gap around remote work and why ignoring it could cost you your best talent in 2025.

1/ The Silent Shift Nobody’s Talking About Here’s what’s happening

A recent Yahoo News article titled “Remote Work Is Now a Luxury for the Rich” laid it bare.

More and more CEOs are quietly keeping remote privileges for themselves and their senior teams. Meanwhile, mid-level and junior employees are told to show up in the office.

• Amazon’s CEO openly said AI will reduce their corporate workforce.
• Shopify now asks hiring managers to justify why a human should be hired over AI.

And yet… the same leaders pushing for in-office presence are dialing in from beach homes and private retreats.

The message?

“Flexibility is earned by title, not by trust.”

That creates resentment.

It builds a culture of compliance, not commitment.

2/ What This Signals to Your Team

This is more than a logistical issue. It’s a leadership signal.

When leaders enjoy freedom but limit it for others, here’s what people think:

• “You don’t trust us.”
• “The rules don’t apply to you.”
• “Our work doesn’t matter as much.”

That breeds silent disengagement.

It erodes your ability to retain top performers. And it drives a wedge between teams and leadership.

In short: your culture starts to crack from the inside.

3/ What Great Leaders Are Doing Instead

If you want to build alignment and performance, here’s where to start:

1. Audit your flexibility policy. Is it consistent? Is it transparent? Are you walking the talk?
2. Tie flexibility to outcomes, not hierarchy. Set clear expectations and let performance dictate freedom. Not job titles.
3. Communicate the “why.” If you’re asking for change, make the rationale clear. Trust doesn’t require perfection. It requires clarity.

So...

Remote work isn’t the enemy. But inconsistency is.

When your team sees leaders doing one thing and saying another, they stop believing in the message, and in you.

So before you roll out another office mandate, ask yourself:

“Am I living the standard I expect from others?”

That’s what defines leadership now.

Andrea Petrone

CEO Whisperer | Top 1% Executive Coach and Speaker in the UK | Founder of WCL.

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