Last week, we gave you some takeaways from the ASA Fair Value Spring Conference in New York City. During a panel of Big Four leaders, a question was asked that had nothing to do with fair value but was an interesting one: Will you require employees to come into the office? The panel members all noted that they were considering a mandate of two to three days in the office. And they remarked that, to make that work, managers would have to do the same to set the example. Also, they are considering some type of in-office activities that would give a reason for staffers to come in.

Recent study: Myron Marcinkowski (Kroll), who acted as moderator for the panel, mentioned an interesting recent study, “The Power of Proximity,” which reveals some of the potential pitfalls of remote work, especially for young professionals, women, and people of color. The study found that these groups are missing out on crucial feedback from their managers and colleagues—and they are more likely to quit. Remote work has not been able to replicate the in-office experience in this regard, which we would imagine is even more crucial for recent hires going through training.

The panel members included Josh Putnam (Ernst & Young), Manish Choudhary (Deloitte), Martin Mazin (KPMG), and Adam Smith (PricewaterhouseCoopers).

A more detailed recap of the conference is in the June issue of Business Valuation Update.