Starbucks Mandates Four-Day Office Week, Relocates Leaders

Starbucks has announced a significant shift in its workplace policy, requiring corporate employees to work from the office at least four days a week starting in October 2025. This is an increase from the previous three-day requirement and is part of the company’s broader turnaround strategy. The new policy also mandates that all corporate “people leaders” must relocate to either Seattle or Toronto within 12 months, a move that could impact hundreds of employees. Those unwilling to relocate will be offered a voluntary exit package with a cash payout.

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 not alone in this shift. 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. Tech and retail giants such as Amazon, Apple, Walmart, Dell, and Disney have all implemented stricter in-office requirements. Financial services companies like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup have also pushed for a full return to the office, citing collaboration, culture, and productivity as primary drivers.

While some companies continue to embrace flexible or fully remote models, the prevailing trend among the largest employers is a decisive move back to the office. Executives cite collaboration, culture, and productivity as primary drivers, even as some employees push back or seek new roles with more flexibility. Starbucks’ decision to require more in-office work and relocate key personnel is part of this broader trend, aimed at fostering a more collaborative and productive work environment.

“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.”