Dennis isn't alone. Felicia, an administrator in Arizona, previously told Insider that she too was leaving behind a six-figure salary over a forced return to the office. Her bosses were suffering from productivity paranoia and could not believe that people working from home were actually working.

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But remote work also calls into question the purpose of a boss, he said. A boss's model, whether they voice it aloud, is to make sure their employees get work done. And so those employees have to be there, in front of them, so the bosses can ensure they're working.

"It's almost, 'If I don't see you working, then I don't have anything to do. What's my purpose?'" Dennis said. "So, I think that's the main driver of bringing people back."

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"The managers, especially the mid-level managers, still are going to want to see people. That's kind of justification for their job," he said. "If everybody can work remote, it's a new model for the manager."