#returntooffice

I work for US Bank's competitor and out of curiousity checked this site. I see a lot of uproar about RTO...believe me, we also went through it in 2022.

My advice to all of you is to be careful.
If they aren't checking your in network office time, they will be. A bunch of our employees got fired over swiping badges and leaving or minimal office network connectivity.
A bunch of others got fired because they were in non compliance.

Sadly, you won't win this fight. We have also tried everything and the push back was immense. Corporate America is all copying each other and they want people back in offices.

Wish you all the best.

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-employees-layoffs-artificial-intelligence-return-to-office-tech-jobs-2026-4

Got the RTO communication and this line stuck out:

“Seating is prioritized for employees first, with unassigned areas and seats an option for contractors on an as-available, first-come, first-served basis”

Read that carefully. They aren’t saying there’s plenty of room and contractors just get second pick. They’re saying contractors get whatever is left over on a first come first served basis. That’s not a seating policy, that’s a disclaimer. They already know there aren’t enough seats.

And FTE seating isn’t even assigned, it’s open within neighborhoods. So the “priority” is theoretical. A contractor walks in, sees an open desk, sits down. Nobody is checking IDs at the door.

The part nobody is talking about: are contractors even on a 5 day mandate? Because if FTEs are legally obligated to be there every day and contractors are not, you’ve got people who’ve worked there for years eating a full commute while embedded contractors log in from home.
This email answered nothing and accidentally raised three new questions.

Anyone else getting actual clarity from their managers?

With or without set daily schedules?

How many in here moved to Dallas and what decision led you and your families to do so? My family is going through a forced relocation. We are choosing to move to keep the job, for some social life and probably better opportunities for jobs.

I know that would personally make me feel much better about my Phase 2 colleagues being excused from RTO, while the rest of us are required to be in the office doing the same exact job. Maybe some motivational posters? The kitten dangling from a tree branch that says “hang in there”?

Leadership is clearly on an attrition drive, and making people quit on their own has been a main goal of RTO from the very beginning.

How is this legal? So 11 days was good, but now they say it’s no good because new rule is 14 to 15 days, depending on the month. Applies retroactively since January since expectations was to be in office…but for 15 days????

In email or mail?

Just wanted to vent on the whole connect week policy for regional centers- I'm quite frankly embarrassed to hold client zoom meetings when in the office- that clients have to hear the background noise of loud talking, laughing and coughing. I understand the loud talking as we are all raising our levels to ensure our clients can hear us over our colleagues. I wonder what client's impressions would be if they could actually see behind the scenes. All the negativity I see & hear from co-workers on the fact they have to go into the office isn't helping my morale either. At the end of the connect week I continually ask myself why did I need to go into the office? Not only did I not gain anything from it other than another cold/ flu virus but feel demoralized & with less money in my pocket after filling up my car.

What is this nonsensical RTO mandate going to cost you? Is RTO really all about foot traffic to justify the real estate investment? Are we secretly being used as pawns but told its for culture and collaboration but at the same time becoming a huge monetary and time burden while being reinforced its for the collaboration and growth of employees while at the same time helping the company justify its use of a building just for tax benefits? Like for real I'm facing an added $2500-$3000 in expenses every month as a result of this RTO mandate. The office I've been assigned to is over an hour away without traffic. So in a perfect world I am losing at least 10 hours per week in commute times. I actually expect this number to be about 22 hours/week based on our traffic. This is not work life balance. But hey at least that 1.5% raise I was GIVEN should cover the costs. I felt I should have EARNED more after exceeding all expectations again but I guess you get what they give you since performance and attendance mean nothing apparently. Would've been cool to get a 30% compensation boost like CEO.

Also I must point out there has been zero follow-up to Bill's email from mid January. The latest ethics and culture survey asks nothing about RTO.

I am the only one from my team in this state. What can I do in the office that cannot be done from a remote location? Besides playing workspace roulette when trying to find a quiet area to handle 5-7 hours of calls per day. I've tried to look at this from different angles but I can't get past this idea that the property valuations have been blamed on us and because of that we are being required to RTO 5 days/week to justify the use of a building. They do not care about the time, money, and tax burden this is causing thousands of employees because when you're worth tens of millions these burdens don't influence you or your decisions.

People leaving adds more pressure on the people who stay. Vacant positions aren't being fulfilled as quickly because of this RTO decision. Talent goes out the door. We have to work more hours. We have to spend more time and money. We have to train and onboard new people and hope they don't abandon ship or get pulled to a different team. This is a lose-lose scenario for tens of thousands of us.

Just a rant!!

Earlier, 11 days used to do it but now 61% is 14 days. Makes no sense. My entire team is remote, I was hired remote but forcefully transitioned me to an office. I come here just to attend meetings and work alone with no in office interaction all while bearing additional cost of gas and parking

RTO was designed as an attrition playground from day one, that was always the point. It was obvious they'd keep tightening the sc--ws, and turn up the heat if not enough people quit on their own.

Please someone convince me why Oracle doesn't implement return to office policies. David Ellison has made his companies go back for 5 days a week. Most of the other big tech companies are at least hybrid. I feel like they want us to leave, and man this would REALLY make me leave. It's our only remaining unique quality :/

How can there be this many slackers still taking advantage of wfh? I hope the next series of cuts is purely for those that are not following policy. If management is serious about RTO, they should use their data to cleanly broom the folks that are not doing their part at this point and send a message. These cuts are long overdue. All of you real estate agents, photographers, off the books carpenters, and slackers in general could go and Ford would not miss a beat.

Everybody knows the abusers in their area - I personally like the analyst in our area that lives in a multi-million dollar house on the lake and comes into the office 2 days a week - Hey, she has a successful photography business to run!

Commute expenses just keep climbing. It's not only gas, everything is just getting more expensive. Only my paycheck is still frozen at WFH-era levels.

Unique among banks, U.S. Bank measures success, merit, and performance using a singular metric: The duration employees remain seated for eight hours in non-ergonomic office chairs at hubs. This approach contrasts with traditional metrics such as:

• Business Process Improvements
• Innovation
• Project Management: Management of Scope, Time, Cost
• Reliability
• On-Time address of issues
• Net Profit Margin
• Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
• Revenue Growth Rate

The Top leadership do not have to worry about Child Care, Elderly Parents, Family Members with Special needs as THEY (MC - Senior Leadership) are rewarded and compensated with lucrative packages, including child care, luxury travel, and high-end accommodations near Minneapolis HQ.

Unlike an average Indian, Fun-an’s other half was born in a privileged class (called IAS) with ivy league education and background in mechanical engineering (worked at Caterpillar in 1980’s where it requires physical in person collaboration to manufacture and assemble construction, mining, and other engineering equipment to measure performance), but Fun-an’s other half strategy is not going to attract/retain/resonate with the average employee's challenges at a financial institution like U.S.Bank in year 2026, unless Fun-an wants to turn U.S.Bank into Caterpillar to manufacture physical goods or turn the bank into a sweat shop.

How many would actually quit over RTO? Upvote for yes, downvote for no. I'd just like to see if this really is a big deal to the majority.

But in US with $7 a gallon they demand driving around into office multiple times a day. Rich Americans can afford $200 more a month is the message.

Return to office, a fresh new start,
A chance to reconnect, to share, to spark.
The hum of voices, ideas in flight,
Collisions of minds that just feel right.

No more the silence of screens alone,
But laughter and teamwork, fully grown.
Quick chats that turn into something more,
Innovation waiting behind each door.

Morning routines with purpose and pace,
Seeing determination on every face.
A shared momentum, a collective drive,
Where goals feel closer, ambitions thrive.

So here’s to the days we gather again,
Colleagues as more than names on a screen.
Together we build, create, and inspire
In the office glow, we rise even higher.

80% colocation target

So why is it that some people feel this does not apply to them. Don't get me wrong. I was wfh the majority of the last 2 years, but I enjoy seeing my coworkers in person. There are entire offices and teams that dont come in even though this was a mandate from Global. Cameron and others, get your cr-p together. If you are going to enforce it than it should apply to everyone within a proximity of an office. While I enjoy being in the office, I am tired of being asked by others "why am I in the office, you are making us look bad" . Its not my fault your boss thinks shes special and these rules dont apply. I am just trying to do my job and keep it.

My takeaway from today’s call and the chatter on this board is that RTO monitoring as it stands, is a credibility problem of our own making. We are asking employees to comply with a policy that many in leadership (including HR) itself is not following. Let’s call it what it is, enforcing RTO requirements from home isn’t just inconsistent, it’s indefensible. Either we empower and trust managers to run their teams and have discretion (yes!), or we require leaders to meet the same expectations. But a NI or termination for non-compliance while managers and HR deliver that from their couches looks pretty bad.

Regarding the Humana RTO policy, what is the... Live within 50 mile radius of Talent Hub requirement?

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The Humana Return to Office (RTO) policy, which has evolved significantly through 2025 and into 2026, utilizes a 50-mile radius as the standard threshold for determining whether an associate is required to work in person at a "Talent Hub" or corporate office.

How the 50-Mile Requirement Works

The core of the requirement is based on your primary residence in relation to a designated Humana office or hub.

Proximity Rule

If you live within a 50-mile radius of a Humana Talent Hub or corporate office, you are typically classified as a hybrid or office-based employee. This means you are expected to report to that physical location for a set number of days per week (or month), depending on your specific department's guidance.

Talent Hub Locations

Humana has identified specific cities as Talent Hubs to centralize collaboration.

Key hubs include:  

Atlanta, GA

Louisville, KY (Corporate HQ)  

Washington, D.C.

Additional Hubs: Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, and New York City.

Remote Eligibility

Generally, associates living outside the 50-mile radius of these locations are eligible to remain in a fully remote status. However, even remote associates may be required to travel to a hub for quarterly meetings or specific team "co-location" events.  

Impact on Associates

The enforcement of this radius is part of Humana's broader strategy to consolidate its real estate footprint while increasing in-person collaboration.

Commuting Responsibility

If you are within the 50-mile zone, the commute is considered "normal home-to-work travel," meaning travel costs are generally not reimbursed by the company.

Exceptions

Exceptions are typically handled on a case-by-case basis and usually require high-level leadership approval. These are often reserved for specific roles that have been designated as "permanently remote" regardless of location, or for documented medical accommodations.  

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Humana’s "Talent Hub" strategy represents a shift from the traditional "sea of cubicles" to a "destination office" model. As of 2026, the company has significantly consolidated its real estate (notably exiting the iconic Michael Graves-designed Humana Tower in Louisville) to focus on smaller, high-tech, high-amenity spaces.

1. Design & Layout

The "Neighborhood" Approach

Humana has moved away from assigned seating in favor of Activity-Based Working (ABW). The layout of a typical Hub is divided into "Neighborhoods" tailored to specific needs:

Collaborative "We" Spaces

These make up the heart of the Hub. They include "Project Zones" with mobile furniture that teams can reconfigure on the fly, and "Huddle Rooms" equipped with 360-degree cameras and digital whiteboards for seamless hybrid meetings.

Quiet "Me" Spaces

For focused tasks, Hubs feature "Quiet Cars" (inspired by Amtrak). These areas have higher acoustic panels, carrels, and a strict "no-talking" rule to mimic the productivity of a home office.

Residential Aesthetic

The design uses a "hospitality-first" palette—natural wood, soft lighting, and ergonomic furniture that feels more like a living room or a boutique hotel than a sterile clinic.

The "Connected Café"

A central social anchor in each Hub, serving as a semi-public space for informal networking, coffee breaks, and "touchdown" work between meetings.

1. Usability & Technology

The usability of these spaces is governed by what Humana calls a "Phygital" experience—merging physical space with digital tools:

Intelligent Booking

Employees use an app to reserve desks or lockers. Over time, AI learns your preferences (e.g., "Mark prefers a standing desk near a window") and suggests spots when you book.

Smart Building Integration

In 2026, many Hubs utilize AI-powered lighting and HVAC systems that adjust in real-time based on occupancy and natural light levels to improve comfort and reduce energy waste.

Concierge Service

Moving away from traditional security-desk entrances, Hubs now feature a "Community Host" or concierge to help associates navigate the tech, find their teams, or troubleshoot equipment.

1. Employee Occupancy & Utilization

Humana’s occupancy strategy is built on the reality that the office is no longer the "default" location for daily tasks.

Daily Occupancy Rates

As of 2025–2026, daily building utilization typically hovers around 25% to 30% of the total local workforce. The offices are designed for "peak" days (usually Tuesdays through Thursdays) rather than 100% capacity.

Intentional Presence

The goal isn't "headcount" but "interaction." Humana measures success by "Experience-Based Metrics"—tracking how often collaboration zones are used and whether employees feel a sense of belonging, rather than just badge-swipe data.

Louisville Consolidation

The most dramatic shift in occupancy occurred in Louisville, where Humana moved its remaining in-office staff into the Waterside and Clocktower buildings, opting to renovate these spaces for $20 million rather than maintain the oversized and aging 27-story Tower.

Living just outside that 50-mile radius—these Hubs are designed to be the place you go for high-value team events rather than a place you'd expect to sit and answer emails all day.

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While Humana does not publicly disclose a single "total" price tag for the entire Talent Hub initiative, we can estimate the investment based on their 2024–2026 real estate filings and renovation permits.

Humana is currently executing a multi-year "Value Creation" strategy aimed at saving approximately $1 billion in annual administrative costs, part of which involves moving out of high-cost legacy real estate and into modernized, efficient Hubs.

1. Renovation & Build-Out Costs

The average investment to transform a standard office into a "Talent Hub" involves high-end technology integration and "hospitality-style" interior design.

Flagship Renovation (Louisville)

Humana recently filed permits for a $20.1 million renovation of the 10th through 12th floors of the Waterside Building (roughly 150,000 square feet). This averages out to approximately $134 per square foot for the interior fit-out alone.

Satellite Hub Estimates

For smaller Talent Hubs, like the Atlanta hub, typical Class A office "spec-to-hub" conversions in the current market range from $100 to $150 per square foot.

Total Portfolio Spend

Given the consolidation of dozens of offices into approximately 10–12 major Hubs, the total capital expenditure (CapEx) for the physical transformation of these spaces is estimated between $150 million and $250 million nationwide.

1. Technology & "Phygital" Infrastructure

A significant portion of the expenditure is "invisible"—invested in the digital layer that makes the Hubs usable:

Hybrid Meeting Tech

Equipping "Huddle Rooms" with 360-degree cameras (like Logitech Sight or Owl systems) and integrated scheduling panels costs roughly $15,000 to $25,000 per room.

AI & Proprietary Apps

Developing and maintaining the custom desk-booking and "Experience" apps used by employees represents a multi-million dollar ongoing operational expenditure (OpEx).

1. Real Estate Savings (The "Off-Set")

It is important to view these expenditures as part of a cost-reduction play.

The Humana Tower Exit

By exiting its 27-story namesake tower in Louisville, Humana avoided massive maintenance and utility costs. That building is currently being redeveloped by third-party developers into a hotel in a project valued at $600–$700 million—costs that Humana is no longer responsible for.

Occupancy Reduction: Because the Hubs are designed for roughly 30% daily occupancy, Humana has been able to reduce its total square footage by an estimated 40% to 50% since 2023, leading to massive savings on leases and property taxes.

The Bottom Line

Humana is spending hundreds of millions upfront to modernize these spaces, but they expect to recoup that investment within 3–5 years through reduced lease obligations and lower utility/maintenance costs across their smaller, smarter footprint.

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This is why we know RTO is about getting rid of employees without paying them severance.

https://medium.com/@danielychang/the-basement-and-the-boardroom-7d7e7dbee7c2

Another wave of RTO emails went out today. Just like this place to send out bad news on a Friday. RTO date set for June 15th for those who got the email.

Have been hearing a consistent rumor this week and wanted to see what others have heard.

Allegedly the week of 4/12 there will be a notice sent to remote workers saying you have 30 days to decide whether you will relocate to Minneapolis. If you decide yes, you need to be back by July 1st, if you decide no, you lose your job.

Apparently this will impact merch (buyers) and planning? Potentially IM as well (which I doubt), but essentially members of the core roundtable.

Is this just a rumor or should I actually start preparing??? What are others hearing?

https://www.businessinsider.com/paramount-skydance-return-to-office-rto-mandate-remote-employees-relocate-2026-3

The return-to-office mandate seems to apply only to rank-and-file employees, as leadership and management remain conspicuously absent

We Put People First
It's the companies time to make employees feel valued for their efforts! Workers are foundational to corporate success, so it's important to make them feel empowered and valued.

We Power Potential
Unfortunately all the toilets exploded in the Englewood Office while scheduled repairs were being done, and let me say the smell was nefarious and permeated the entire office.

We Value Diversity
At the water cooler, the horrible smell was all people were discussing. This is much different than normal mutual agreement of how much time and energy is wasted sitting in traffic . With these new conversations about the smell of human waste, I have some new business solutions. Truly water cooler conversations are critical to business success, and I'm frankly surprised we even schedule meetings anymore when we all know without the water cooler, we could not succeed.

We Do the Right Thing
I can think of no better irony or metaphor to USBs RTO approach. Employees are forced drive to work, with skyrocketing gas prices, during dangerous protests, and in in climate weather - all to take remote meetings in a a noisy distracting environment, that smells like human waste.

We Value Diversity
But that's just the smell of collaboration! And an accurate reflection on how much the company values the contributions and work that actually builds the company.

We Stay a Step Ahead
Sure the bathroom maintenance could have been done the previous weekend or after business hours, but how could we smell our own success if we did it while people weren't there to enjoy it.

Any insights on discontinuation of AIP? Also, hearing that Director level and above will have some form of RTO mandate.

My whole team is remote. I was told that I need to go to the office 3 days/week starting April. Nobody knows where I'm supposed to be reporting... the chicago office has 50+ stories. There was zero guidance during my orientation.

https://share.google/yCnfFlv0cN1lZFXeM

Gas prices jumping just in time for return to office! Who else is stoked?! Good thing my comp review rewarded me 800 extra dollars for the whole year! Just in time

Many workers view return-to-office mandates negatively. They often perceive these directives as stealth layoffs. Remote work was common five years prior. This situation has changed dramatically recently. The article explores these impacts on companies and staff.

https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2026/03/23/remote-work-stealth-layoffs.html

A lot of quiet quitters and underperformers on this forum

Not at all. They've been looking for any excuse to cull the herd.

They're just je-king us around, aren't they? Maybe they'll tie it to a gas price threshold - check the pump each morning, find out if you're driving in. Next-gen attrition tactics!