AT&T Calls Workers Back with RTO Mandate
Plus, Brian Elliott on the five hybrid work trends to watch in 2025
👋 Happy Tuesday!
In this week’s edition: Data from Revelio, a workforce analytics company, shows that since June 2022 — when many companies began pushing return-to-office (RTO) mandates — businesses that allowed flexible work have grown their ranks by 1.6 percent, compared with 1 percent for firms requiring RTO.
☎️ AT&T’s RTO Mandate
📊 Avg In Office Days for US Firms
👀 2025 Hybrid Work Trends
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
AT&T follows Amazon with 5 Day RTO Mandate
In the latest chapter of the US RTO saga, AT&T is taking its boldest step yet—mandating five-day office attendance starting January 2025, a dramatic shift from its current hybrid model. The telecom giant's move affects thousands of employees who relocated to one of nine corporate hubs under last year's partial return-to-office policy.
While AT&T insists it's upgrading facilities to accommodate the influx of workers, employee concerns about office capacity are already surfacing on social media platforms.
This hardline stance comes as AT&T enjoys a 40% stock surge in 2024, outpacing the broader market. Yet it also positions the company as an outlier in corporate America, as our latest Q4 Flex Report shows only 32% of US firms require full time in office compared to 43% of firms adopting a Structured Hybrid model.
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 👇
Washington Post: Data shows companies offering flexible work outperform those mandating office returns, with RTO policies driving higher turnover and recruitment struggles.
Business Insider: Amazon delays full RTO for some employees over office-capacity issues.
Fast Company: Remote and hybrid work continues to dominate workplace preferences, with studies showing 95% of professionals want flexible arrangements.
USA Today: President-elect Trump threatens to fire federal workers who don't return to offices, challenging Biden administration's remote work agreement.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
Nearly 90% of US Firms Require 2-3 Days a Week in Office
The average company with a Minimum Days / Week policy requires employees to be in the office 2.76 days per week. That’s up from 2.63 days per week in Q3 2024, a 0.13-day increase.
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
Five Hybrid Work Trends to Watch in 2025
As the battle over return-to-office heats up again, Brian Elliott cuts through the noise with a fresh take on where hybrid work is really headed in 2025. While Amazon's Jassy and Tesla's Musk push for strict office mandates, Elliott sees a different future – one where flexible companies win the talent war and rigid policies fade away. His crystal ball reveals a workplace focused on results over attendance, suggesting that the real winners will be leaders who trust their teams to get the job done, regardless of where they plug in their laptops.
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: Preparing for the Storm: The Future of Commercial Real Estate | Arpit Gupta
In this episode of Flex Perspectives, Rob Sadow is joined by Arpit Gupta, Associate Professor of Finance at NYU Stern.
Check out the full episode to learn:
The dynamics behind the commercial real estate "apocalypse" and its broader implications for urban cores
Which stakeholders are most vulnerable to these market changes and how they can protect their interests
Strategic approaches for real estate professionals, company leaders, and public officials to navigate this period of uncertainty
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
Fidelity Investments is a US-based financial services firm established in 1946 with expertise in asset management, retirement planning, and brokerage services. Its mission is to inspire better futures and deliver better outcomes for customers, employees, and communities worldwide through innovative wealth management technologies and solutions. The firm operates in multiple locations worldwide with its headquarters located in Boston, Massachusetts.
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