I do not want to go into specifics as they may reveal the place I work at. However, without going into those specifics, I will state that my current employer does have some above average exposure to real estate and the speech some of us got from our managers was 'we should do our part'( in helping CRE recover ). Now, just because it is simple and straightforward, does not mean it is wrong. Oftentimes, money can more easily explain things that seem complex. I don't want to speculate as to why it is branded and dismissed as low effort/reddit origin, but I personally think it is weird. It is, frankly, way more reasonable explanation than other rationale put forth.

edit: Come to think of it, I understand the why. Up until now, it was all about 'productivity and collaboration'. The change in rationale would be rather jarring.