Instagram orders full return to office, staff must be present five days a week from February

Instagram will require all US-based employees to return to the office five days a week from 2 February, Meta confirmed on Monday, marking a significant shift from the company’s previous hybrid approach. The move, outlined in an internal memo from Instagram head Adam Mosseri and first reported by the Sources newsletter, is positioned as an effort to encourage a more creative and collaborative working environment, as per a report by CNBC.

According to the report, Mosseri also intends to reduce the number of meetings within the organisation and wants teams to showcase product prototypes more frequently rather than relying on formal decks and extensive documentation. The new mandate applies exclusively to Instagram employees, with a Meta spokesperson informing CNBC that staff across other Meta platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, will not be subject to the five-day office requirement.

Meta introduced a broader return-to-office mandate in September 2023, directing employees across its family of apps to work from a physical office at least three days a week. The policy mirrored similar steps taken at the time by major tech companies such as Amazon and Google-parent Alphabet.

In recent months, more firms across the technology and corporate sectors have shifted towards full-time in-office work, with executives arguing that five-day mandates streamline operations and strengthen cross-team collaboration after the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Amazon implemented its five-day-a-week requirement in January 2025, while other companies pushing for full office returns include AT&T, Boeing and Dell Technologies.