AT&T CEO John Stankey has issued a company-wide ultimatum: employees must return to the office five days a week or begin exploring other job opportunities.
The directive, delivered via an internal memo on July 31, 2025, marks a significant shift in the telecom giant’s workplace policy, officially ending its hybrid work model that had been in place since the pandemic.
The memo follows a recent employee engagement survey involving over 99,000 staff members, which revealed that while 79% felt committed to their work, overall engagement scores had declined.
John attributed this drop to the company’s ongoing cultural transformation, emphasizing that AT&T is in the midst of a multi-year journey that will continue to challenge employee comfort zones.
AT&T CEO’s Push for In-Person Collaboration and Cultural Reset
John defended the return-to-office (RTO) mandate by linking it to the company’s need for real-time collaboration, especially for large-scale initiatives such as fiber infrastructure expansion and 5G deployment.
He argued that remote settings cannot replicate the deep coordination that complex projects demand.
The memo also signaled a broader cultural shift at AT&T—from a legacy of tenure-based rewards and hierarchical structures to a model focused on performance, contribution, and market responsiveness.
Changes to compensation, benefits, and job expectations are already underway, reinforcing the company’s new direction.
Employee Resistance and Logistical Challenges
The RTO policy has faced pushback from employees, many of whom cite logistical issues such as desk shortages, parking constraints, and commute difficulties.
John firmly rejected the concerns, telling employees they were “mistaken” to hope the policy would be reversed.
He made it clear that AT&T’s future does not include remote work as a default option.
For those seeking flexibility or virtual arrangements, the memo was unambiguous: AT&T’s evolving workplace may not be the right fit.
The company is consolidating its office footprint, reducing its presence from over 500 locations to a smaller number of modernized hubs, aimed at fostering collaboration and efficiency.
The memo concluded with a quote from General Eric Shinseki, “If you dislike change, you’re going to dislike irrelevance even more,” underscoring the company’s commitment to transformation—even at the cost of employee attrition.
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