Return-to-Office Stalls as Workers Fail to Respond

New York, NY, September 22, 2025-"Big companies from Microsoft to Paramount and NBCUniversal are ordering workers to show up to the office more often. If only their staffs would heed the call,” reports the Wall Street Journal.

“Even as corporate bosses cut back on remote work and ratchet up in-office mandates, average office attendance has barely budged across U.S. workplaces. Companies are struggling to enforce mandates, and many managers tasked with herding folks into the office would rather not be there either. Other executives have made their peace with hybrid work, especially amid cooling consumer confidence and an unpredictable trade war.

“‘There’s a lot more pressing things for companies to be worrying about right now,’ said Beth Steinberg, a longtime tech-industry human-resources executive. As for whether bosses are cracking down on no-shows? ‘I haven’t heard of many consequences for that, especially if somebody’s a high-performer.’

“The New York Times is among the latest companies to step up office-attendance requirements, telling opinion and newsroom staffers on Wednesday to come in at least four days a week by November, up from three. Microsoft wants three days starting in February for many Pacific Northwest employees.

“Some ultimatums are blunter. At Paramount, staffers in New York and Los Angeles had until this week to commit to five days a week starting in January-or else take a buyout. NBCUniversal, which will require four days next year, gave staff a similar choice.

“Those unable to comply should contact human resources about a ‘voluntary exit assistance package,’ NBCUniversal told employees. 

“They join other big names dialing back remote work this year, including Amazon, Dell and JPMorgan. Overall, companies are requiring 12% more time in-office than in early 2024, according to data on policies for 9,000 employers from workplace think tank Work Forward.

“Yet Americans still work from home about a quarter of the time-much like in 2023, said Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist who has helped run a monthly survey of 10,000 Americans on the topic since 2020.

“Unenthusiastic bosses don’t help. They might shield top performers to keep them from leaving. And nearly half of senior managers said they would take a pay cut to work from home, according to a survey this summer of 1,500 salaried U.S. employees, including 500 human-resources professionals, from BambooHR.”