 From Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to Google, the leaders of global firms are telling staff they want them back in office. Returning to work looks a lot different for employees in Mumbai compared with their co-workers in New York, even if they're employed by the same multinational company. In the absence of a standard set of safety regulations from local governments, the onus may fall on CEOs to ensure their staff everywhere are equally safe and that working from home doesn't set them back in their careers.  A healthcare worker administers a dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination in Spain. Photographer: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg But even in places where it may be all right to go back to the office, employees don't want to. An Accenture Plc survey of 400 North American financial services executives found that almost 80% would like workers to spend 4 to 5 days at their desks once the pandemic is over. Many employees are expected to push back against a full-time return, having found they can be just as productive working remotely. Being unaccommodating could impact on organizations' push to keep more women in the workforce in senior roles. Working parents are more likely to want flexibility, especially with many schools still shut. Then there's the severe mental health toll that experts are already flagging. It's now up to companies, many of which made record profits through the pandemic, to give back to their employees. Whether that's through more health and wellness initiatives, holiday days or differential treatment for employees depending on where they are based. - Ruth David | 
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