Intel mandates four days in the office

Intel says that it’ll require employees to work from the office four days a week, a shift from the company’s current policy.

CEO Lip-Bu Tan made the announcement during Intel’s Q1 2025 earnings call on Thursday. Previously, Intel allowed staff to work from home two days a week, but Tan said that adherence to the company’s hybrid work policy has been “uneven at best.”

“I strongly believe that our sites need to be vibrant hubs of collaboration that reflect our culture in action,” Tan said. “When we spend time together in person, it fosters more engaging and productive discussion and debate. It drives better and faster decision-making. And it strengthens our connection with colleagues.”

The policy change will go into effect September 1. Tan said that local leadership will share “site-specific details” and “seek [staff] input on how to create the best possible on-site experience.”

Intel, which is reportedly planning to lay off as much as 20% of its workforce, is the latest big tech company to mandate a return to the office.

Amazon made headlines in 2024 when CEO Andy Jassy announced that corporate employees must return to work in the office five days a week. Salesforce implemented a four-day-per-week policy in October. And Apple moved to a hybrid setup in 2022.

Evidence is mixed on whether working from the office bolsters productivity. Research has shown, however, that return-to-office mandates hurt employee satisfaction.