Every time you think the battle over return-to-office mandates is over, it fires up once again.
Several major companies made announcements requiring that employees return to the office full-time this year, including Amazon, AT&T, and Starbucks. The debate even entered the political sphere when heads of the new Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, announced a plan to get federal employees back to the office. With the support of President-elect Donald Trump, the team vowed to fire workers who don’t comply.
On the other side of the spectrum, however, some companies such as Spotify and Allstate are sticking to their flexible working policies, arguing that employee autonomy is the future of work.
In order to see how this will all play out, Fortune spoke with HR executives from PwC, Canva, Magnit, and EY, about return-to-office mandates in 2025.
These responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Yolanda Seals-Coffield, chief people officer at PwC
It’s no secret that being together in person fosters greater connection, collaboration, creativity, and development. While we’re increasingly seeing the pendulum swing back to being in the office five-days a week, we believe that hybrid will continue to be the norm in 2025. Reports have shown that hybrid workers demonstrate the highest levels of satisfaction, and hybrid schedules can allow for more purposeful engagements.
Jennie Rogerson, global head of people at Canva
We don’t have a mandatory company-wide amount of time to spend in an office, and trust our team to choose the type of environment that works best for them, whether it’s in a physical space, at home, or a mix of both.
Four years into this way of working, we’ve found this to be the most effective way to empower our team to balance in-person team collaboration, with their life outside of work. Parents and caregivers, in particular, often share how much they value our hybrid approach, which enables them to balance their personal and professional responsibilities.
Looking ahead to 2025, I believe more companies will start making stronger decisions on what their longer term strategy is on returning to office or continuing with flexibility. With companies being clearer on what their return to office policies are, candidates are then free to choose the workplace that works for them based on their own preferences.
Rebecca Perrault, global VP of culture, diversity and sustainability at Magnit
In 2025, the conversation around RTO mandates will shift from enforcing policies to empowering people. Hybrid models will dominate as organizations recognize the value of flexibility in attracting and retaining talent. Data will play a crucial role, with companies using productivity metrics and employee feedback to tailor approaches that balance collaboration with personal well-being. RTO isn’t about where we work; it’s about how we thrive together. Organizations that prioritize adaptability and focus on outcomes over optics will emerge as leaders, ensuring that their workplaces are designed to foster both innovation and inclusion.
Ginnie Carlier, chief talent officer at EY
Flexibility continues to be a desire among the workforce. Organizations that continue to embrace hybrid working, focused on bringing people together for moments that matter, will come out on top when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent.
Emma Burleigh
emma.burleigh@fortune.com
Today’s edition was curated by Brit Morse.
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
Dockworkers and their employers agreed to resume formal talks next week as a potential strike that could shut down ports from Maine to Texas looms. Wall Street Journal
From more DEI pushback to a new generation of Gen Z leaders stepping into management positions, here are the labor trends that will shape the workplace in 2025. Inc.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment checks has dropped to the lowest levels since March, a sign that workers are continuing to stay in their roles longer. Associated Press
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune
Career setbacks. Remote work might be disproportionately hurting women and their career progression, the chief of Nationwide expressed this week, noting that creating an in-office presence is crucial. —Prarthana Prakash
How to unplug. Worried about burnout keeping you from attaining your 2025 goals? Here are tips from top CEOs on how to ensure you’re able to take enough time off of work. —Orianna Rosa Royle
Management tips. These are some of Steve Jobs’s key management principles that helped catapult him to success. —Sydney Lake
