From emerging startups to established tech giants, every organization has carved its unique path in shaping workplace strategy. Recent years have witnessed dramatic shifts in these approaches as companies grapple with the evolving landscape of work.
While some have embraced fully remote models, others firmly believe in mandating a full office return. Hybrid models blending remote and in-office work have also gained traction, while some companies have even reversed their initial decisions entirely.
This guide explores how over 40 globally recognized companies, ranging from Amazon to Apple, have sculpted, adapted, and navigated their workplace strategies. It offers insights into the key considerations and diverse approaches CEOs are employing in planning their return to the office (RTO).
| Company | # days | Description | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | 2-3 days | Adobe requires employees to work in the office 2-3 days a week. | 2023 | Source |
| Airbnb | No mandate | Airbnb employees have the option to work remotely indefinitely, with the ability to work in 170 countries. | 2023 | Source |
| Allianz | 3 days | Allianz allows employees to work remotely up to 40% of the time, with flexibility depending on local needs. | 2024 | Source |
| Amazon | 5 days | Amazon currently mandates 3 days in the office, with plans to increase to 5 days by 2025. | 2023 | Source |
| Apple | 3 days | Apple mandates employees to work in the office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and a team-chosen day. | 2022 | Source |
| AstraZeneca | 3 days | AstraZeneca follows a phased return approach with hybrid working depending on role and local guidelines. | 2024 | Source |
| Aviva | 2-3 days | Aviva requires at least 2 days in the office for ‘Smart Workers’ if they’re full-time. | – | Source |
| Bank of England | 2 days | The Bank of England has a minimum expectation of 40% across the month. | 2024 | Source |
| Barclays | 4-5 days | Barclays expects staff to return to the office full-time or close to it, with 4-5 days. | 2024 | Source |
| Booking.com | Flexible / role dependent | Booking.com lets team members and managers decide how often they come into the office or work from home. | – | Source |
| Boots | 5 days | Boots has asked all staff to return to the office 5 days per week. | 2024 | Source |
| BP | Flexible / role dependent | bp lets employees make informal and formal arrangements on how, where and when they work. | – | Source |
| Canva | Flexible / role dependent | Canva’s policies are role-dependent, but are split between hybrid; permanent remote and onsite. | 2023 | Source |
| Capital One | 3 days | Capital One has Mondays and Fridays as remote working days, with the office open the remainder of the week and employees strongly encouraged to come in. | – | Source |
| Citigroup | 5 days | Citigroup requires employees to work in the office at least three days a week, with performance evaluations tied to attendance. | 2024 | Source |
| Coinbase | No mandate | Coinbase operates as a remote-first company, allowing employees to work from anywhere without mandatory office days. | – | Source |
| Deliveroo | 3 days | Deliveroo’s default hybrid working policy across geographies, teams and roles is to allow hybrid remote working, where employees will have the option (but not the requirement) to work from home up to 2 days a week, depending on the requirements of their role. | – | Source |
| Dell | 5 days | As of March 2025, all hybrid and remote Dell employees who live near a Dell office will be called back to work in the office five days a week. | 2025 | Source |
| Deloitte | Flexible / role dependent | Deloitte employees follow a hybrid model, dependent on role | 2023 | Source |
| Deutsche Bank | 3 days | Deutsche Bank mandates employees to be in the office three days a week, one of which must be Monday or Friday. | 2024 | Source |
| Disney | 4 days | Disney requires employees to return to the office four days a week, as stated by CEO Bob Iger in 2023. | 2023 | Source |
| DoorDash | Employee choice | DoorDash’s Flexible Workplace Model gives teams the ability to decide how they want to leverage in-person and remote work. | 2022 | Source |
| Dropbox | No mandate | Dropbox has adopted a “virtual-first” model, allowing employees to work remotely full-time. | 2024 | Source |
| eBay | Flexible / role dependent | eBay offers a flexible hybrid work model, where employees can choose to work remotely or in the office. | – | Source |
| Ericsson | Minimum % of time per week | Ericsson crafted a hybrid work policy allowing employees to split their time between remote and in-office work (50% each over a week or month). | – | Source |
| Experian | Flexible / role dependent | Experian operates a hybrid work model, allowing employees to work remotely or from the office depending on their role. | – | Source |
| EY | 2 days | EY mandates employees to work in the office at least two days a week under its hybrid work policy. | 2024 | Source |
| Goldman Sachs | 5 days | Goldman Sachs requires employees to be in the office full-time, emphasizing an office-first work culture. | 2023 | Source |
| 3 days | Google employees must attend the office at least three days a week. | 2022 | Source | |
| Grammarly | Flexible / role dependent | Grammarly operates a remote-first hybrid model, allowing employees to work primarily from home but encouraging quarterly in-person collaboration at its office hubs. | 2024 | Source |
| GSK | 2-3 days | GSK follows a hybrid work model, with employees generally expected in the office 2-3 days per week, depending on role and team needs. | 2023 | Source |
| HSBC | 5 days | HSBC requires employees to work from the office three days a week. | 2023 | Source |
| Infosys | 2-3 days | Infosys requires lower-level employees to return to the office at least 10 days a month as part of its hybrid work model. | 2023 | Source |
| Intuit | 2-3 days | Intuit operates a hybrid work model, asking employees to come into the office 2-3 days per week, with flexibility based on roles. | – | Source |
| J.P. Morgan | 5 days | KPMG follows a hybrid working model, with employees expected in the office 2-3 days per week while offering flexibility for remote work. | 2024 | Source |
| KPMG | 2-3 days | Morgan Stanley mandates employees to work in the office full-time, requiring five days a week of attendance. | – | Source |
| Lloyds Banking Group | 2 days | Lloyds requires employees to be in the office at least two days a week. | 2023 | Source |
| Meta | 1-2 days | Meta mandates employees work from the office three days per week. | 2023 | Source |
| Microsoft | 2-3 days | Microsoft operates a hybrid policy, typically requiring 2-3 days in the office per week. | 2022 | Source |
| Morgan Stanley | 5 days | Netflix’s latest announcement is light on the details about whether employees are expected to attend the office. | 2024 | Source |
| Nationwide | 2 days | Nationwide operates a flexible working model, allowing employees to work up to 3 days a week at home. | – | Source |
| NatWest | 2-3 days | NatWest requires employees to work in the office 2-3 days a week under its hybrid working policy. | – | Source |
| Netflix | Flexible / role dependent | Sainsbury’s | 2024 | Source |
| Nvidia | Flexible / role dependent | Nvidia allows employees to choose between working remotely, in the office, or in a hybrid arrangement. The company emphasizes flexibility and has no plans to mandate a return to the office. | 2023 | Source |
| Revolut | Flexible / role dependent | Revolut offers a flexible hybrid model, where employees can choose to work remotely or come into the office for collaboration. | 2021 | Source |
| Sage | Flexible / role dependent | Sage provides a hybrid working policy, allowing employees to balance in-office and remote work based on role requirements. | – | Source |
| Sainsbury’s | Flexible / role dependent | Sainsbury’s offers a flexible hybrid working policy, allowing employees to work from home or come into the office, depending on their role and team needs. | 2023 | Source |
| Salesforce | 4-5 days | Salesforce requires specific teams to return to the office 4-5 days per week | 2023 | Source |
| Shopify | No mandate | Shopify has embraced a fully remote work model, allowing employees to work from anywhere without a mandatory return to the office. | 2021 | Source |
| Slack | Flexible / role dependent | Slack follows a hybrid work model, allowing employees flexibility in choosing between remote work and in-office collaboration days. | 2022 | Source |
| Spotify | No mandate | Spotify allows employees to work from anywhere, with no mandated office days. | 2023 | Source |
| Starbucks | 3 days | Starbucks corporate employees are required to work in the office 3 days per week if they are within commutable distance. | 2023 | Source |
| Tesco | 2 days | Tesco requires employees to work from the office for two days per week | 2024 | Source |
| Twitter (X) | 5 days | Following its acquisition by Elon Musk, Twitter mandates full-time office attendance, requiring employees to work five days in the office. | 2022 | Source |
| Uber | 2 days | Uber has embraced a hybrid model, with employees expected to spend at least half their time in the office, particularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. | 2022 | Source |
| UBS | Flexible / role dependent | UBS employees are eligible to work partially from home, depending on role, regulatory restrictions and location, as well as divisional or functional requirements. | 2023 | Source |
| Unilever | 2 days | Unilever has adopted a flexible hybrid working policy, allowing employees to work both remotely and in the office, with an expectation of 40% office working. | 2023 | Source |
| Vodafone | 2-3 days | Zoom adopted a hybrid work model, requiring employees to work in the office 2-3 days a week while continuing to support remote work where possible. | 2023 | Source |
| Wise | Flexible / role dependent | Wise allows employees to choose between working from the office or remotely, with a hybrid approach that focuses on flexibility based on team collaboration needs. | 2024 | Source |
| Xero | Flexible / role dependent | Xero operates a hybrid work model, offering flexibility for employees to work remotely or in the office as needed. | 2021 | Source |
| Zoom | 2-3 days | Zoom adopted a hybrid work model, requiring employees to work in the office 2-3 days a week while continuing to support remote work where possible. | 2023 | Source |
Defining Workspace Strategy: Key Factors
Defining a workspace strategy is complex, influenced by several factors:
- Work Location: Where does the majority of work take place?
- Enforcement: How strict is in-person attendance?
- Policy Variance: Does the policy differ based on roles or teams?
Let’s delve into each of these factors.
1) Work Location Strategies
The first crucial step in planning a return to the office is determining where the core work will be conducted. Different approaches exist.
Fully Office-Based
This strategy emphasizes the office as the primary work location. Employees are expected to be physically present five days a week during standard business hours in a centralized office space.
Fully Remote or Remote-First
This approach allows employees to work from diverse locations, eliminating the need for a centralized office. Employees can work from home, co-working spaces, or any location that suits their needs, either individually or collaboratively.
Hybrid
Hybrid working combines elements of both office and remote work, with employees dividing their time between the office, home, and other remote locations. The specific implementation of hybrid models varies widely across organizations.
2) Enforcement of In-Person Work
For companies adopting in-office or hybrid strategies, it’s essential to define the level of enforcement for office attendance.
- Strictly Enforced: Office attendance on designated days is mandatory, with disciplinary measures for non-compliance.
- Moderately Enforced: Office attendance is encouraged but not mandated, without disciplinary consequences for non-attendance.
- Not Enforced: Employees have the autonomy to decide whether to work from the office.
3) Policy Variance
The final consideration is whether the workspace strategy applies uniformly or varies based on specific factors.
- Team-Based Strategies: Office attendance is determined by the needs and requirements of individual teams or functions.
- Geography-Based Strategies: Office attendance varies based on different countries or regions.
- Employee Location-Based Strategies: Office attendance is determined by an employee’s proximity to an office.
- Flexible/Individual Role-Based Strategies: Office attendance is determined at an individual employee level, often negotiated with their manager.
Real-World Examples of Workspace Strategies
Here are some companies using each of these strategies in practice, offering valuable insights for CEOs planning their return-to-office approach.
Fully Office-Based Examples
These companies believe that the majority of work should take place in a traditional office setting.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has advocated for a return to the office, believing that in-person interaction is vital to the firm’s culture. The company officially implemented an “office-first” policy, requiring full-time in-office attendance.
Dell
In early 2025, Dell announced that employees residing near a Dell office would be required to work in the office five days a week starting in March. This decision was driven by the belief that in-person collaboration enhances team efficiency.
Hybrid Examples
Hybrid models appear to be the most popular choice among large organizations, but the definition of “hybrid” can vary significantly.
Adobe
Adobe’s hybrid workplace policy requires employees to work from the office 50% of the time, a strategy that has remained consistent for several years. This approach emphasizes purpose-driven, collaborative in-person gatherings.
Google has long been a proponent of hybrid work. Employees are expected to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, workers choosing permanent remote work could face pay cuts.
Netflix
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has expressed skepticism about remote work. As of 2024, corporate employees are expected to work from offices on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Remote-First Company Examples
These companies have found remote work to be a viable, and even preferable, long-term policy. “Remote-first” means that the company’s default systems and processes are designed to support a distributed workforce.
Coinbase
Coinbase has permanently embraced remote work. CEO Brian Armstrong announced that the “future of Coinbase is remote-first,” shifting work processes to accommodate distributed teams.
Shopify
Shopify allows its employees to work from home indefinitely, reducing office capacity. CEO Tobi Lutke stated they would adopt a “digital by default” approach, expecting most employees to work remotely moving forward.
Office Mandates: A Growing Trend?
The demand for in-person work is increasing as companies seek to recapture the benefits of in-person interaction. This has led to a rise in office mandates, where employers require employees to work from the office rather than remotely.
A recent Workspace Satisfaction Survey revealed similar sentiments, with a significant percentage of startup founders expressing a desire for their teams to return to the office more often.
Office Attendance on the Rise
There is a growing trend towards increased office attendance, particularly in London’s startup scene. The survey also indicated that, in most cases, office attendance isn’t strongly enforced.
Concerns About Employee Resignations
However, a substantial percentage of leaders expressed concerns that stricter office mandates could lead to a surge in resignations. Enforcing a mandatory return to the office comes with risks.
For example, Disney CEO Bob Iger’s mandate for a four-day in-office work week sparked outrage, leading to a petition signed by thousands of employees.
Evolution of RTO Mandates
Many companies have shifted their stances on returning to the office, with some undergoing significant transformations.
1) Amazon
Amazon’s return-to-office policy has evolved considerably, moving from empowering team leaders to determine remote work options to mandating a minimum of three days in the office per week and planning to increase to five days a week in 2025.
2) Airbnb
Airbnb initially operated from an office-centric model but shifted to a “Live and Work from Anywhere” policy, embracing remote work. Employees can work from home or anywhere within their country, and even work in over 170 countries for up to 90 days per year.
3) Apple
Apple’s return-to-office mandate has been marked by controversy and employee resistance. The company transitioned from a remote work model to requiring employees to come in for two days a week, later increasing to three days a week.
4) Citigroup
Citigroup has shifted from flexibility to strict tracking and monitoring of employee attendance. They now track attendance using swipe card data and enforce consequences for non-compliance.
5) Disney
Disney initially adopted a flexible approach allowing remote and hybrid work but reversed course by mandating a return to the office four days a week.
6) eBay
eBay has embraced flexibility and remote work, allowing employees to work primarily from home while keeping the office available for collaboration. There’s no strict requirement for days in the office.
7) J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan has gradually reverted to in-person work, requiring senior leaders and managers to be in the office five days a week, while other employees generally come in three days per week.
8) Meta
Meta has gradually enforced stricter remote work rules, requiring employees in hybrid roles to return to the office three days a week.
9) Spotify
Spotify continues to maintain a ‘Work From Anywhere’ policy, allowing employees to work from home, the office, or anywhere they choose.
10) X (Formerly Twitter)
X has shifted from a permanent remote work policy to mandating a return to the office, requiring employees to work in the office 40 hours per week.
Finding the Right Workspace Solution
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for planning a return to the office. CEOs need to consider their organization’s unique needs and culture.
Whether your company is office-first or remote-first, develop a tailored workplace strategy that aligns with your business objectives and
