3M's Remote Rollback
Plus, how to align your executive team around your flexible work model
👋 Happy Tuesday! It seems like every week brings new headlines about companies revising their remote work policies. Business Insider has compiled a comprehensive list of major employers making the shift, from Amazon's new five-day office mandate starting January 2025 to similar announcements from Meta, Disney, and Wall Street firms. Even Zoom, which powered the remote work revolution, now requires regular office attendance from its employees.
In this week’s edition:
🏢 3M Rolls Back Remote-Friendly Policy for Managers
📊 The Reality of Flex Work in Finance
🎙️ Driving Exec Consensus in Flex Work
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
3M Ends Remote-Friendly Policy for Managers
3M's new CEO, Bill Brown, is rolling back the company's flexible work policy, marking yet another corporate retreat from pandemic-era remote work. Starting next month, directors and above at the Minnesota HQ must be in-office Tuesday through Thursday, with plans to expand globally.
The move represents a stark departure from the previous "Work Your Way" approach, which gave 75% of non-manufacturing workers hybrid or fully remote options. Brown frames this as part of his strategy to "reinvigorate the 3M innovation machine" amid declining new product revenue—though, like many companies making similar moves, there's no clear evidence linking office presence to innovation.
The timing is telling: Brown inherited a company facing sluggish growth and legal challenges, and research shows return-to-office mandates often follow poor results and typically come from older male executives. It's worth noting that newer companies overwhelmingly offer location flexibility, while only 65% of pre-1980 firms do the same.
FLEX WORK QUICK HITS 💥
Stay ahead of the curve with our curated roundup of the trending flexible work stories making waves right now. Here's what you need to know 👇
Forbes: Remote.com survey shows 67% of companies lost workers to remote-friendly competitors.
Newsweek: Japan courts digital nomads with new visa program, hoping to boost local economies despite restrictive terms.
Inc.: Remote work success hinges on measuring results over hours and building smart "tools and rules," says Oyster CEO who leads 500 employees across 70 countries.
The News & Observer: Three North Carolina cities—Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte—rank among America's top remote work hubs. Raleigh claims second place nationally, as nearly a quarter of its workforce operates remotely.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
The Reality of Flexible Work in Financial Services
Does the chart below surprise you? It’s eye-opening that despite what we’ve seen in the media recently from top Financial Services companies, 91% of Financial Services firms offer work location flexibility. Just 9% want employees onsite full-time.
In the last 12 months, more and more Financial Services firms have set their office expectations and are overwhelmingly opting for Structured Hybrid models. As a result, the percentage of Full Time In Office firms has dropped from 20% to 9%.
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
Top 100 Future of Work Leaders
The workplace revolution isn't just coming—it's already here, led by 100 visionary leaders who are actively reshaping how we think about work. From pioneering remote-first cultures to leveraging AI and blockchain, these innovators are proving that the future workplace is more dynamic, inclusive, and human-centric than ever before.
As the lines between office and home blur, these trailblazers demonstrate that authentic leadership isn't about maintaining the status quo but embracing transformation. Their initiatives are creating workplaces where talent can thrive regardless of geography and where technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.
Discover the complete Top 100 Future of Work Leaders and learn how they're crafting tomorrow's workplace today.
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: Crafting a Unified Vision: Driving Exec Consensus in Flex Work | Dawn Mitchell
In this throwback Flex Perspectives episode, Rob Sadow is joined by Dawn Mitchell, Chief People Officer at HackerOne, a global leader in human-powered security, and a Board Member at Happily. Dawn has spearheaded the effort and implementation of HackerOne’s digital-first approach.
Listen in as Rob and Dawn discuss:
How to align your exec team around your flexible work model
The crucial relationship between the Chief People Officer and CFO during implementation
Balancing politeness and firmness when setting work and communication expectations
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Automattic Inc., founded in 2005, is a web development corporation known best for operating WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Longreads, and other popular digital platforms. With a vision of making the web a better place, its mission emphasizes open-source software and remarkable user experiences. The company operates worldwide with its employees working virtually, enabling them to be based wherever it allows them to be most productive.
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“research shows return-to-office mandates often follow poor results and typically come from older male executives.” <—— can we get some sourcing on that? I’d like to read more.