I have 9 direct reports. Our office is in San Francisco. We were all given the option to remain 100% remote (and clean out our desks) or come in once or twice a week and not clean out our desks. Four of my 9 opted to return, so I did too. Of the other five, three are retiring this year and one is in Seattle.
Bottom line: there is value in some balance.
I think it is good for cohesion and mental health for employees to show on a weekly basis.
As far as someone in Seattle exceptions can be made but I would arrange a face to face at least once a month.
On their dime BTW.
Cost of being able to work from home.
They can deduct it on their taxes.
I would have been fine with traveling back to Silver Spring, MD on occasion, but they wanted me back there every week day I had a shift. I could not do that, so I will find another job.
With all remote work, if somebody asks me occasionally to go to the site, wherever it is, I am willing to go to the site, even if it is in Crookifornia, or, in some remote jobs, even in London or Berlin.
Sounds like the bottom line is that your employees who didn’t have to keep working quit rather than face mandated office time. Is that really balance?