Ultimatums lead the way forward as tech giants present employees with “comply, or else” scenarios. Google’s RTO policy for 2025 is making it mandatory for remote employees to show up to the workplace three days a week if they don’t want to risk losing their jobs. Remote workers are to return to Google offices at once, although the hybrid model has not been done away with entirely.
Job cuts at Google have been occurring more and more frequently, and these reductions haven’t been limited to any one department. Google’s 3-day office policy is another way for the company to push workers to decide between keeping their jobs or keeping their freedom, and for now, most workers will likely comply with the rules to avoid being rushed into the unstable job market.
Google’s ultimatum to employees is not a unique one—Intel, Amazon, Meta, and other tech tycoons have also pushed for employees to adapt back to in-office work or cut ties with the company once and for all.
The Google RTO policy for 2025 requires employees to shift to a 3-day hybrid model. The end of remote work is drawing closer. (Image: Pexels)
The New Google RTO Policy in 2025 Deals Another Blow to Remote Workers
New documents viewed by CNBC and other organizations have laid out Google’s hybrid work policy changes in clear terms—workers have to come into the closest offices three days a week. Despite some workers having previously been approved for remote work, Google’s new RTO rules map out what is expected of workers in 2025.
Remote workers in Google Technical Services were recently informed that they had a choice to either come to the office three days a week or accept a voluntary package and make a quiet exit. According to the Google hybrid work updates, some workers who are entirely remote are being offered a one-time relocation budget to uproot their lives and move within 50 miles of a Google office.
Similarly, HR workers were also asked to submit to Google’s RTO policy in 2025 or risk seeing their roles eliminated from the company’s roster. For these HR employees in the People Operations department, Google’s RTO policy for 2025 mainly applied to those who already lived within 50 miles of an office. Those who were further out were allowed to stick to the existing arrangement, but would only be able to pursue other roles at the company if they moved from a remote to a hybrid model.
Are ultimatums and forced deals the key to employee retention and productivity? The biggest tech CEOs seem to think it is.
What’s the Reason for Google’s Hybrid Work Policy Change?
Google’s 3-day office policy comes at a time when most leaders are adamant that in-office work is the only way to guarantee productivity and efficiency. Despite Google promoting its employee-centric work culture for years, the company is now regressing to a business-first model that requires company goals to be met at any cost. A large part of this push is being led by its AI initiatives, but the company’s other business streams are just as demanding of resources and attention.
“As we’ve said before, in-person collaboration is an important part of how we innovate and solve complex problems.” a spokesperson from Google told Fortune. “To support this, some teams have asked remote employees that live near an office to return to in-person work three days a week,” he continued.
The Google RTO Policy in 2025 May Encourage Remote Employees to Quit
Google’s new RTO rules are also a way for the company to encourage workers to quit and eliminate the effort required to downsize further. Employees who do not want to relocate will be forced to quit instead, making it easier on Google. Early in the year, the company offered voluntary buyouts to some employees, but despite the effort, the company was still inflated. More cuts are expected later in the year.
With ambitions to introduce AI into roles rather than keep workers to keep the wheels spinning, Google’s hybrid work layoffs will allow more room for the integration of some technically advanced tools.
RTO is the Latest Battleground Between Employers and Employees
The Google RTO policy in 2025 do not come as a surprise—over the last year, employers and employees have been butting heads over mandatory return to work. Despite enthusiastic early adoption of work-from-home policies, since the end of the pandemic, many employers have become convinced that the older models of work need to be revived in order for a company to be successful.
While employees have chased flexible work policies, employers have started gradually returning to the rigidity of the corporate world. Some have been more accommodating than others. Google’s 3-day office policy still sticks to the hybrid model to allow workers to stay at home two days a week, but companies like Amazon have mandated a full-time return.
The resistance to such policies has been apparent. Many workers at Amazon threatened to quit over a mandated return but that was exactly what Amazon had in mind, as it refused to back down. Last year, Dell tried to force employees to the office by telling remote workers that they would no longer be eligible for promotions if they chose to work from home, but irate workers were okay with losing out on opportunities if it meant they could still keep their jobs and work remotely.
Google’s Hybrid Work Updates Are Not the Last We’ll See of RTO Policies
As remote workers return to Google, it’s time to face the truth—remote work is no longer the norm. As more industry leaders begin their own push for in-person work, smaller businesses will start shifting their own policies to reflect the same ethos. Some businesses like Spotify may remain committed to remote work, but it is hard to tell how long this will last.
We expect 2025 to be a turning point for most employers and HR leaders, who will have to determine the best strategy for their own businesses. Sticking to remote or hybrid work could attract all the top talent that companies like Google force out of the company. On the other hand, they might lose some of that sought-after efficiency that these top companies are in pursuit of.
Understanding your organization, business model, and employee needs is the best way to determine what’s right for your workers. It is a decision that cannot be made and enforced overnight.
Google’s RTO policy for 2025 signals changing times, but do you think RTO mandates are the best way forward? Let us know. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more updates on the evolving landscape of work.
