Zoom staff have been told to return to offices two days a week as part of a “structured hybrid approach”.
The video conferencing business, which has around 8,500 employees globally including around 200 in the UK, claims this approach is the most effective way for the company to operate.
Operating in 14 locations worldwide, the California, US-based platform wants workers who live within 50 miles of an office to attend in person at least twice a week.
A Zoom spokesperson said: “We believe that a structured hybrid approach – meaning a set number of days employees that live near an office need to be onsite – is most effective for Zoom. As a company, we are in a better position to use our own technologies, continue to innovate, and support our global customers.
“We’ll continue to leverage the entire Zoom platform to keep our employees and dispersed teams connected and working efficiently.”
Zoom, which became a household name during the Covid pandemic’s remote working revolution, is the latest company to scale back its flexible working policies, with similar moves made by Amazon, Disney, Starbucks and Twitter.
However, Tom Cornell, senior I/O psychology consultant at HireVue who advises Fortune 100 companies, believes organisations making such demands should think twice given that today’s employees value flexibility more than ever.
He commented: “People’s priorities have shifted, and they now consider their work and job within the larger context of their lives. Rather than focusing solely on obtaining a high-profile job, they are more concerned about how it will impact their personal flexibility including hobbies and other pursuits.
“This shift in priorities is demonstrated by the increasing number of resignations in response to companies requiring workers to return to the office. To remain competitive in today’s market, employers must prioritise providing greater flexibility to their workers to meet their demands and needs. However, achieving this is not always straightforward. Remote work can make it challenging to create a unique work culture, which can ultimately affect employees’ emotional investment in their job and company.”
