Starbucks tells staff to quit or come into the office

Starbucks (SBUX+0.73%) has warned its corporate staff that failing to work in the office three days a week could lead to termination.

The mandate is part of the coffee chain’s “standardized process,” set to launch in January, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg. Employees who do not comply risk “separation,” though the company has not detailed how it will monitor the new policy.

Hybrid worker expectations, which include vacation, sick leave, and business travel, “have not changed” and do not count toward the required in-office days, a Starbucks spokesperson confirmed to Quartz in an email. This policy affects over 3,000 corporate employees, while the bulk work in-store. Last year, dozens of Starbucks corporate employees signed a petition against the in-office mandate.

The coffee giant is “continuing to support our leaders as they hold their teams accountable to our existing hybrid work policy,” the spokesperson added. Employees can ask to be exempted for various disabilities. For those returning to the office, the company said it made updates to its workspaces “to make sure they work for the teams who use them.”

Starbucks is not alone in tightening remote work policies. In October, Amazon (AMZN+0.33%) announced a five-day in-office work week starting in January, telling employees who disagreed to consider leaving, as “there are other companies around.” Meanwhile, Dell (DELL-1.57%) has stated that remote workers will be ineligible for promotions. Similarly, Walmart (WMT+0.32%) surprised its employees in May with a mandate requiring corporate staff to relocate to one of three main hubs or risk job loss, which recently pushed a Sam’s Club executive out as part of this shift.

After becoming CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol emphasized a preference for in-office work, stating that “we’re all adults here.” While he acknowledged that employees should work where they need to be productive, he believes the office is typically the best environment for collaboration.

Niccol, who previously led successful returns for Chipotle (CMG+2.02%) and Taco Bell (YUM+1.40%), has his own remote office in Newport Beach, California, along with an assistant. Starbucks will cover his temporary housing costs during his 1,000-mile commute to Seattle, with the caveat that he must secure permanent housing within three months.