Return-to-office policies put pressure on FM and HR teams

Businesses implementing return-to-office requirements are placing new demands on facilities management and human resources teams, who must coordinate car parking provision, building capacity and workspace allocation. After years of hybrid working, many organisations lack the infrastructure or data to manage a full-scale return, and fleet and travel policies written for remote work are now being reassessed. The challenge is particularly acute for firms operating from multiple sites or older premises not designed for flexible use.

For fleet managers, RTO mandates often trigger a spike in requests for company cars, pool vehicles or cash allowances as employees resume regular commutes. Service businesses with field-based teams may also see changes in mileage patterns and fuel costs as staff combine office days with customer visits. Facilities managers meanwhile face tough decisions about on-site parking capacity, EV charger availability and whether to introduce booking systems or restrict access.

Organisations should review their travel and car policies now to ensure they align with new working patterns and remain cost-effective. This includes assessing whether company car tax and benefit-in-kind rates still make sense for employees who split their time between home, office and client sites. Fleet operators may also need to adjust vehicle provision, particularly if pool cars or van-sharing schemes can reduce the total number of vehicles on the books while meeting increased demand.

Bluepoppy works with facilities management and service businesses to align fleet provision with evolving working patterns and cost control priorities. Our Fleet Cost Review examines vehicle utilisation, user need and funding options to ensure you're not carrying excess capacity or missing opportunities to transition to lower-tax EVs. Talk to us about rightsizing your fleet for the return-to-office era and beyond.

Bluepoppy view: RTO policies are reshaping fleet demand—now's the time to review vehicle provision, parking and EV charging before costs spiral.

Source: i-FM — summarised and written from a Bluepoppy perspective. We don’t reproduce the original article.