RTO 101 | How to get staff to 'return to office' in 2025 - while avoiding employee revolt

What do Asda, Duolingo, and Starling Bank have in common?

If you answered that all three use a Grinch-esque green in their product branding, you’d be right!

But if you’ve been keeping up with HR Grapevine’s news cycle – or else read between the lines given the title of this article – then you’ll know the answer we’re looking for is that all three have increased the amount of time they are asking employees to spend time in the office.

In November, Asda’s interim boss told over 5,000 corporate employees to return to the office for three days each week; while Starling Bank’s new CEO upped in-office requirements from zero, one, or two days per week to two to three days per week. Duolingo, meanwhile, called staff back to the office full-time back in 2022.