It’s 2026, yet the tension over return-to-office mandates remains fraught. This time, a new workplace trend is stirring controversy. 

Companies are reportedly using subtler tactics to lure workers without issuing a formal RTO order and provoking backlash. These strategies include rewarding office attendance with promotions and career advancement – and on the other end, supposedly doubling down on surveillance for remote workers. 

The Wall Street Journal calls this the ‘hybrid creep’, a ‘combination of carrots and sticks’ that encourages employees to work on-site more without being told to do so.

The new trend has been met, not surprisingly, with criticism. Apart from the usual arguments against a full return to the office, there are concerns about the lack of an official mandate, especially in workplaces where flexible work was the initial agreement. 

Some say hybrid creep erodes trust and harms workplace culture. Others are calling on companies to compensate for expenses incurred by reporting on-site more often during the week.

So why are employers still pushing for more office time despite the demand for flexibility? What other measures can companies take to boost productivity and engagement, without mandating additional on-site days?

The case for a time-tracking policy

Hybrid creep often occurs in workplaces that struggle to measure productivity and visibility outside the office.

Many workplaces have explored various time trackers and monitoring software during the pandemic. But oftentimes, these tools merely track work hours, keyboard and mouse activity, and even random screenshots or webcam recordings–which can feel intrusive, and which do not address the need for better productivity metrics. 

Employees also tend to perform for these trackers, appearing busy instead of doing meaningful work.

Moreover, a lack of visibility makes it a bit more difficult for managers to address discrepancies, such as failures or inaccuracies in recording work hours or gaps in productivity. When this happens, managers only notice poor work performance once it’s too late.

Since these managers cannot easily assess how work is being done, returning to the office seems like the more convenient option. Employers feel safe with what they can see. 

And with tactics like hybrid creep, office presence begins to matter more than actual merit and performance. In the long run, this can backfire for companies and drive away top talent. 

How should employers move forward? A strong time-tracking policy, not to be confused with just monitoring software, could address some structural gaps. 

Time-tracking policy 101

A time-tracking policy is a formal document that sets a proper system for recording work hours. 

It establishes clear rules, boundaries, and protections across the entire time-tracking process—such as clocking in and out, defining overtime, and completing timesheets—embedding them into the workflow.

Once this is established, companies can expect data that is objective and grounded – which helps leaders make proper assessments on work performance and appraisal. This reduces the need to rely on office attendance as a productivity metric, and prevents hybrid creep from becoming a part of the work culture.

Other protections under a strong time-tracking policy include privacy frameworks and easier compliance with labor laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act.

How to build a time-tracking policy

So where should companies start when implementing a time-tracking policy?

Conduct research on the ground

To establish the right framework for a time-tracking policy, companies need to assess the existing structure, and identify gaps and pain points on the ground.

Employee surveys are an excellent source of information. Some questions that set the ball rolling include:

• How does your team track work hours?
• Do you feel that the system accurately reflects the work you do?
• Do you think your productivity is fairly evaluated?
• Do you feel your privacy is threatened by the current time-tracking structure?
• Would I want to change the company’s time-tracking policy? 
• What would I like to change? What would I keep?
• What potential concerns do you see if the company ever shifts to a new time-tracking policy?
• Would you like to keep working under a hybrid set-up? 
• If you were required to return to the office, what would your next steps be?

Once the key data has been established, it is time for the organization’s leadership to align on the purpose, goals, and expectations of adopting a new structure, as well as costs and implementation. Labor and privacy laws must also be discussed thoroughly.

Relevant stakeholders include the board of directors, executives, HR, legal, and more.

Choose the right timesheet methods.

Not all hybrid teams are the same.

A time-tracking system that works for full-time employees will be different from that of contractual workers and freelancers. Different labor laws apply to each one.

WebWork offers multiple time tracking solutions for all kinds of hybrid teams – including automated and manual time-tracking. 

Integrate time tracking into the workflow.

The best time-tracking platforms already use Artificial Intelligence (AI). For instance, WebWork’s AI-powered employee monitoring software does more than just monitor hours—it turns data into actionable points.

WebWork is able to generate tasks (“Create a task for Tony to analyze traffic data”) answer performance questions (“Analyze Adam’s performance”), alert leaders on unusual activity, and even detect members who are at risk of burnout.

A clear time-tracking policy is also connected to payroll, resource planning, and project management. WebWork’s payroll tracker automates the whole payroll process, including payments. 

Introduce the time-tracking policy properly.

So your company already has all the mechanisms in place for a time-tracking policy. What’s next? One of the most important aspects—if not the most—is making sure employees understand it.

The purpose of the policy change should be very clear to employees. Leaders must reiterate that the goal isn’t to tighten control of remote workers, but to empower them with tools that measure productivity more accurately. The benefits should be tangible: objective data for employee appraisals and evaluations, removal of intrusive monitoring tools, faster timekeeping. 

To demonstrate trust, managers should disclose what data they collect, and even show how it looks from their end.

Once this is communicated, companies must provide employees with the relevant learning materials—including written and video guides—as well as live demonstrations.

Not all employees might welcome the change at first. Companies can hold town hall meetings and Q&A sessions to address concerns about privacy and the challenges of navigating new technology.

With WebWork, the timekeeping process—including approvals—is smooth, requiring only a few easy steps.

Ultimately, the problem with hybrid creep was never about attendance, but a structural gap.

A strong time-tracking policy helps shift the focus from ‘How to bring people back to the office?’ to ‘How do we build systems that make flexible work sustainable for everyone, well into 2026?’