Instagram mandates full-time office work from next year
What's the story
Instagram has announced its plan to bring employees back to the office full-time starting February 2 of the next year. The decision was revealed by Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, in an internal memo. The mandate applies only to US-based employees with assigned desks at their respective offices. Mosseri said in the memo that "it's clear we have to evolve," and added that "2026 is going to be tough."
Remote policy
Flexibility in remote work still allowed
Despite the full return to office mandate, Mosseri's memo also emphasized that employees would still have the option to work remotely "when you need to." However, he urged them to "use your best judgment" about when they should take advantage of this flexibility.
Industry trend
Tech industry shifts back to in-person work
The move by Instagram is in line with a broader trend among tech companies to shift back to in-person work after the COVID-19 pandemic. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, had also introduced a three-days-a-week office policy in 2023. Despite executives stressing the benefits of in-person work, employees have often pushed back against these changes.
Operational changes
Mosseri outlines other changes for Instagram
Along with the return to office mandate, Mosseri also hinted at other changes aimed at making Instagram "more nimble and creative." These include reducing recurring meetings, which will be canceled every six months unless deemed "absolutely necessary." He also plans to have more prototypes of product overviews instead of decks and a faster process for unblocking and decision-making within teams.