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.” The company’s decision reflects a growing trend among major employers to roll back remote work privileges granted during the pandemic.
Starbucks is far from alone. 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. Here’s how some of the world’s largest companies have responded:
“We understand not everyone will agree with this approach,” Niccol wrote in his letter to employees. “We’ve listened and thought carefully. But as a company built on human connection, and given the scale of the turnaround ahead, we believe this is the right path for Starbucks.”
Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
