This year, in-office attendance reached its highest level since 2020, with 72% of US companies reaching their RTO goals, up from 61% in 2024, data from real estate group CBRE found. (At the same time, the rate of companies tracking in-office attendance hit 69%, up from 45% the year prior.) And some employers, most recently Microsoft and NBCUniversal, have also upped their RTO requirements, the Washington Post reported.
Picture waking up with a low fever and a sore throat, sending one message that you will not be in today, then turning off your phone and going back to sleep. No doctor's note. No laptop. No guilt. In the United States, the same move can set off alarms. Many employers run points-based attendance systems or require immediate proof even for a one-day absence. A single same-day callout can cost you points, and repeat short absences can trigger discipline or termination.