CEO Brian Niccol gets tough, demands Starbucks workers return to the office-or he'll pay them to leave
Briefly

Starbucks will enforce a new policy requiring corporate employees to work in-office at least four days per week from October 2025. This is an increase from the previous three-day in-office requirement and forms a vital part of the company's turnaround efforts. Corporate leaders must relocate to Seattle or Toronto within a year, with other employees potentially receiving voluntary exit packages. This decision aligns with broader trends among major companies abandoning pandemic-era remote work accommodations, echoing similar moves by Amazon, Apple, Walmart, and Dell.
CEO Brian Niccol emphasized the importance of in-person collaboration, stating, "We are reestablishing our in-office culture because we do our best work when we're together. We share ideas more effectively, creatively solve hard problems, and move much faster."
Over the past two years, a wave of major corporations has issued similar return-to-office (RTO) mandates, signaling a decisive shift away from pandemic-era remote work flexibility.
Amazon announced in late 2024 that all employees would have to return to the office five days a week in the new year, ending hybrid and remote arrangements.
Apple has required employees to be in the office at least three days a week, with CEO Tim Cook emphasizing the value of in-person teamwork.
Read at Fortune
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