Paramount's Tough RTO: Full-Time Office Presence Required

Paramount has begun Phase 2 of its return-to-office (RTO) plan, extending its full-time in-office mandate to employees in US locations beyond New York and Los Angeles. This policy, effective September 14, requires workers to be present in the office five days a week, a standard already in place for employees in New York and Los Angeles since January. The company's stringent approach also includes potential relocation requirements for some remote employees, who may need to move to be near a Paramount office by 2027.

To mitigate resistance, Paramount has provided managers with an "RTO People Leader Toolkit." This resource offers suggestions for fostering team cohesion, such as organizing coffee outings, lunches, and team-building activities. Managers are encouraged to use tools like Microsoft Copilot to generate ideas for these exercises. The toolkit emphasizes that strong relationships are crucial for trust and well-being. However, the company has made it clear that attendance will be tracked, and failure to comply with the RTO policy could lead to disciplinary measures, up to dismissal.

CEO David Ellison views in-person work as fundamental to developing a "next gen media and entertainment company." Paramount maintains that physical presence is vital for collaboration and innovation, even as competitors adopt more flexible work arrangements. Unlike many in the media industry, such as NBCUniversal (four days), Disney (four days), and Warner Bros. Discovery (three days), Paramount's commitment to a full-time office presence is among the strictest, reflecting its strategic emphasis on physical proximity.