Zillow's Flex Bet Pays Off
Plus, how forward-thinking companies are reimagining their workspaces
👋 Happy Tuesday! Data from Placer.ai shows that while office visits have grown, there’s not a massive wave — and 2025 is not off to a roaring start for office utilization. Versus Feb of 2019, office visits this Feb were 36% lower this year and that’s worse than Feb of last year.
In this week’s edition:
🏡 Zillows Flex Win
📊 Tech Flex Policy Breakdown
🗞️ What’s Actually Happening in Offices?
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THIS WEEK’S FLEX FOCUS 🔍
Why Zillow’s Chief People Officer Only Goes into the Office 5 Days a Month
In a time where RTO mandates continue to spark employee frustration nationwide, Zillow has chosen a different path with its innovative "CloudHQ" approach to remote work. Rather than forcing employees back to their desks, the real estate marketplace has embraced a truly flexible work model since autumn 2020, allowing staff to work from wherever they choose.
The results speak volumes. Applications for open positions have quadrupled, and female employment has increased by 5% - unsurprising given women's documented preference for flexible schedules. Chief People Officer Dan Spaulding, who himself only visits an office about five days monthly, points to these metrics as clear evidence that treating employees "like adults" translates to both attraction and retention of talent.
Zillow has strategically downsized from eleven offices to six major hubs while maintaining its commitment to intentional in-person gatherings. As companies across industries struggle with workplace policies that balance productivity and employee satisfaction, Zillow's experience suggests that embracing remote flexibility might be the competitive advantage many are seeking.
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 👇
USA Today: Federal employees forced back to offices face chaotic conditions including overcrowded spaces, BYO toilet paper requirements, pest infestations, and broken facilities across multiple agencies.
Business Insider: Boutique investment bank Moelis & Co. is ending its hybrid work policy that allowed two remote days weekly, requiring all 1,300 employees to return to office five days a week starting in May.
The Hill: Studies show federal RTO mandates consistently fail, with 25% of employees ignoring directives, while Biden's milder policy triggered a 26% increase in senior-level turnover and 32% spike in departures among specialized staff with critical expertise.
SHRM: Companies implementing RTO mandates are offering enhanced benefits to ease the transition, with perks like free lunches, improved fitness options, relaxed dress codes, and child care benefits.
STAT OF THE WEEK 📈
Tech Companies by Policy Type
Last year, we took a deep dive look at variations in workplace flexibility in the Tech industry. At that time, 79% of Technology companies were Fully Flexible, meaning they do not require office time for employees. That represents an increase of four percentage points from June 2023, when 75% of Technology companies were Fully Flexible.
Just 3% of Tech firms require Full Time In Office, the smallest of any industry tracked on Flex Index. The remaining 18% of Tech firms are Structured Hybrid, meaning there is a set expectation on some amount of time being spent in the office.
FLEXPERT INSIGHTS 🧠
The Great Office Divide: Companies Split on Workplace Strategy in 2025
Brian Elliott's latest newsletter reveals a stark division between organizations embracing workplace transformation and those paralyzed by indecision. While some companies reimagine offices as tools for team collaboration, others remain frozen - unwilling to renovate spaces despite plummeting utilization rates, hoping for a full return to pre-pandemic norms that data suggests isn't coming.
The numbers tell a compelling story: office visits remain 36% below 2019 levels, and even companies with strict RTO mandates aren't seeing full compliance. Brian highlights forward-thinking organizations like Atlassian, Airbnb and Dropbox that have accepted reality - reducing office footprints while reinvesting in team-oriented spaces, gathering budgets, and centralized planning teams.
FLEX PERSPECTIVES 🎙️
ICYMI: The Future of Remote Work | Predictions from Nick Bloom
In this episode of Flex Perspectives, Rob Sadow sat down with Nick Bloom, Stanford University's renowned Economics Professor and one of the foremost experts on remote work.
Check out the full episode to learn:
Nick’s predictions for the future of remote work
Whether fully remote or hybrid work models will become the norm
How many days we’ll report to an office by 2030
Also available on Apple Podcasts.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT ✨
First Republic Bank, established in 1985, is an American financial institution that offers private banking, business banking, real estate lending, and wealth management services. Dedicated to providing exceptional service, its mission is to deliver extraordinary service and support its clients to achieve success on their terms. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the bank also operates offices in several U.S. states including New York, Massachusetts, and Florida.
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