Over the past year many have proposed the hybrid model as the future of the workplace – so it was interesting to see a leading think tank predicting the opposite.

The Centre for Cities caused quite a stir recently by suggesting we’re just a couple of years off seeing a return to a five-day week in the office. Its director of policy and research, Paul Swinney, believes companies are missing the benefits of face-to-face interaction and while they’ll start with a three- or four-day week, we’ll see a “creep, a bounceback”.

The reaction on Twitter was fascinating. Some people were relieved at the idea of going back to how things were. But a lot of people, and I really mean a lot, were outraged.

Many felt the return of the five-day office week was something employers wanted far more than workers. It was blasted as an unwelcome return to archaic working practices.

I can’t disagree. Surely there has to be some sort of evolution, and isn’t this the opportunity to adopt more flexible working practices?

But this “creep” the Centre for Cities speaks of already seems to be happening and we only have to look at big names like Apple to see that.

The company took a bold step and asked employees to return to the office three days a week starting in September.

Tim Cook’s email to staff said: “There has been something essential missing from this past year: each other.”

It sounds sweet – a nice sentiment from a company that values the presence of its people. But it seems it still missed the mark. Some of its workers banded together and wrote an open letter pushing back, saying remote working was crucial to diversity and inclusion.

Google fell into a similar trap after planning a three-day week but backtracked after a similar outcry. From September its workers have a choice between their pre-pandemic office, an office in a different city or permanently working from anywhere if their role allows it.

I found this especially interesting because a Google office is not your typical office. It has trendy, quirky, creative, inviting spaces – search for pictures online and you’ll see what I mean. They’re desirable places to spend time, but even Google has conceded it should give staff a choice.

I remember chairing a Vistage meeting at Itison’s offices in a grade A listed building in Merchant City and we still talk about it years later. It had a yoga studio, a colour-changing ceiling and even a fireman’s pole for easy and fast access downstairs.

Great office environments help create friendships and synergies, and inspire innovation and big ideas, so if you have a great space, you’re more likely to entice people from the comfort of their own homes. If you’re trying to woo staff back to a windowless 2m x 2m cube you’ve got a challenge.

However, some people do want to separate work and home life, and I saw a great concept last week in St Albans that recognised this. Pluto Pods offers Covid-secure work pods, ergonomically designed, immersive, with great lighting and acoustics. I think they’ll be popular, especially as an alternative to working from the kitchen table.

If you’re an employer, now is the time to give staff more flexibility and autonomy instead of rigidly trying to follow old patterns. It’s also time to take a look at your workspace and, if it’s a bit drab, get your finger out and make it more inviting and inspiring.

If you get the balance right, you’ll have a much happier and more productive workforce, and you might be surprised by how many choose to come into the office.

Laura Gordon is a CEO coach and group chair with Vistage International