If you expect five days a week of in-office attendance, you significantly narrow your candidate pool. That doesn’t mean you can’t find the right people, but it does require a focused approach: the right positioning, the right channels, and the right employment conditions. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about recruiting with a full in-office attendance policy.
Why does a 5/5 policy put candidates off?
Candidates are put off by a 5/5 policy because it goes against the expectation of flexibility that has become the norm in recent years. For many professionals, working from home is no longer a perk — it’s a baseline expectation. A job posting that doesn’t offer that option automatically filters out a large portion of both the active and passive candidate market.
The resistance goes beyond comfort. Candidates make a concrete calculation: commute time, costs, work-life balance, and autonomy. Having to go into the office every day means losing several hours a week to commuting on average. For people with young children, a long commute, or a preference for focused home working, that’s a dealbreaker.
Perception also plays a role. Some candidates associate a strict attendance requirement with a lack of trust or an outdated company culture. That makes it all the more important to clearly communicate in your messaging why in-office presence makes sense in your specific context.
Which candidates are open to five days in the office?
There is certainly a segment of the job market that actively seeks a full-time office environment. Think of recent graduates who want to learn from colleagues, professionals who struggle to focus at home, people who have deliberately chosen a short commute, or candidates who value the social dynamics of an office setting.
There are also profiles for whom the nature of the work makes physical presence a logical requirement: operational roles, positions involving a great deal of collaboration or consultation, and leadership roles where being present on the floor is part of the job. In that context, candidates experience a 5/5 policy less as a restriction and more as a natural given.
Finally, there are candidates who prioritize other factors: a strong employer brand, an attractive salary, opportunities for growth, or an inspiring work environment. For them, the location requirement carries less weight when the overall package is compelling.
How do you position a 5/5 policy as an advantage in your job posting?
You position a 5/5 policy as an advantage by putting the reason front and center, not the requirement. Explain why being present in your organization creates value: faster decision-making, a strong team culture, direct access to leadership, or an environment that encourages collaboration. Candidates who find that appealing respond better to an honest, positive framing.
Avoid phrasing that emphasizes the requirement without context. “Office attendance is mandatory” creates resistance. “We work fully together at our office in [city], because direct collaboration is central to how we operate” conveys the same information, but with a rationale that candidates can evaluate for themselves.
Also show what the office itself has to offer. A modern workplace, good facilities, a lively team atmosphere, or a central location are concrete elements that make daily attendance more appealing. Candidates weigh the overall experience, not just the rule in isolation.
What employment conditions compensate for the requirement to be in the office every day?
Benefits that concretely offset the commute and time investment make the biggest difference. Think of a competitive salary above market standard, a generous mobility budget or company car, flexible start and end times that allow employees to avoid peak traffic, and additional vacation days. These elements lower the threshold for candidates who are on the fence.
Beyond financial compensation, non-monetary benefits also matter. A strong onboarding program, investment in training and development, a clear path for advancement, and a positive work culture are all factors that tip candidates in your favor. People who come into the office every day want to do so in an environment that’s genuinely worth the effort.
Be transparent about the full package in your job posting. Candidates weighing whether to apply make that calculation quickly. The more clearly you communicate what you offer, the greater the chance that the right profiles will apply — and that less suitable ones will screen themselves out early.
Which recruitment channels work best for this type of role?
For roles with a full in-office policy, targeted channels outperform broad job boards. Candidates actively searching on general platforms often filter by remote work options from the outset. You’ll reach the right audience more effectively through networks, specialized recruiters, and direct outreach to passive candidates who aren’t actively looking but are open to an interesting opportunity.
LinkedIn remains a strong channel, but through targeted outreach rather than simply posting a vacancy. Passive candidates who are happy in their current role but open to the right next step are often the best fit for a 5/5 position. They’re not searching based on flexibility, but on content, growth potential, and the organization itself.
Local networks and sector-specific communities are also valuable. Candidates who live close to your office have less resistance to daily attendance. A targeted permanent recruitment approach that focuses on geographic proximity and specific profiles significantly increases the likelihood of a lasting match.
When does it make sense to reconsider your attendance policy?
It makes sense to reconsider your attendance policy when you’re consistently struggling to fill vacancies, when the time-to-hire in your recruitment process is increasing, or when candidates drop out at the final stage because of the location requirement. These are signals that the policy has become a bottleneck in your talent acquisition.
That doesn’t mean you need to switch to full flexibility right away. Sometimes a small adjustment is enough: one day of remote work per week, flexible hours, or a hybrid model for specific roles. That change can meaningfully expand your candidate pool without altering the core of your work culture.
Also consider whether the policy is being applied consistently. If some employees in practice enjoy more flexibility than others, it creates internal tension and undermines the credibility of your external messaging. A clear, fair policy that you actually uphold is always stronger than a strict rule that isn’t followed internally.
How we help you find candidates for a 5/5 role
Recruiting with a full in-office policy requires a different approach than standard recruitment. At Skill&Will, here’s how we tackle it:
- We identify candidates who are genuinely open to an office environment, based on their profile, motivation, and personal situation
- We proactively approach passive candidates through our network in the Belgian market, with a particular focus on Brussels and Flemish Brabant
- We help you position your vacancy correctly so that the attendance requirement is communicated honestly and compellingly
- We assess candidates for cultural fit and genuine motivation, so you don’t waste time on profiles who will back out later
- We provide insight into local salary benchmarks and employment conditions that realistically offset the 5/5 requirement
Want to know which candidates are available for your role and how we can accelerate your hiring process? Get in touch and we’ll explore the possibilities together.
