Fortune 100 Companies Shift 54% to Full-Time Office Work

For the first time since the onset of COVID, more than half of Fortune 100 companies have implemented fully in-office policies for their employees. This shift marks a significant change from 2023, when only 5% of these firms had fully returned to the office (RTO). The data, sourced from a real estate company, indicates that while larger firms are leading the RTO charge, smaller companies are likely to continue favoring flexible work options.

In 2023, 78% of Fortune 100 companies operated on a hybrid model, with 5% fully in-office. However, by 2025, this dynamic has shifted dramatically, with 41% of these companies now hybrid and 54% fully in-office. The average number of days employees are required to be in the office has increased from 2.6 days per week in 2023 to 3.8 days in 2025.

Several high-profile companies have recently mandated in-office work. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, for instance, has required more corporate employees to relocate to the company’s Seattle office and work in-person four days a week. Similarly, tech giants like Google and Amazon are pushing employees back to the office, citing the benefits of in-person work for productivity, especially in the context of the AI race.

Despite evidence that RTO mandates do not always result in increased office attendance, there has been a 1.3% year-over-year increase in office attendance in the first two months of 2025’s second quarter. This trend has coincided with record-high rents for high-end offices, particularly in markets like Miami, New York City, and San Francisco. However, office vacancies remain high, hovering above 22%, and inventory has declined by 700,000 square feet in the last quarter, indicating that demolitions or mixed-use and residential conversions are outpacing office construction.

While the Fortune 100 companies are experiencing a significant shift towards full-time RTO, the broader U.S. workforce has largely maintained the hybrid work status quo. According to recent data, 51% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs are working hybrid in 2025, compared to 52% in May 2023. Similarly, 28% are working exclusively remote, compared to 29% in May 2023, and 21% are working completely in-person, compared to 20% in May 2023.

Mark Ma, an associate professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh, suggests that Fortune 100 companies are leading the RTO push because they have the financial stability to do so. Larger companies like Amazon can afford to lose talented workers without significant impact, as there is always a pool of young graduates eager to join. However, smaller firms face greater challenges in managing their workforce, as losing key employees can be more detrimental. Smaller firms are also less likely to invest in office spaces that employees may not frequently use, especially in times of economic hardship.

Cities like Pittsburgh, where the office vacancy rate is about 20%, are seeing high demand for luxury office buildings with modern amenities, likely favored by larger employers who can afford to offer RTO perks. Older buildings, however, continue to languish. For the broader U.S. workforce outside the Fortune 100, the phenomenon of hybrid work is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Younger CEOs, who are more likely to lead remote-friendly workplaces, are expected to take over in the long term, potentially increasing flexibility in work arrangements.