September 2025
What’s New with Office Requirements
Fortune 500 Updates
According to the 2025 Q2 Flex Index Report, Fortune 500 companies have seen the largest shift in work policies compared to other US companies. The number of Fortune 500 firms with a flexible work policy have decreased 11% from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025.
Two things have impacted this: 1) a shift away from employee choice policies (where an employee can choose when or if they work from an office), and 2) some companies have moved to full-time in-office vs a structured hybrid policy (where the company sets number of days). Over the last year for Fortune 500 companies, full-time in-office mandates have increased from 13% to 24%.
Structured Hybrid = Primary Work Model
Despite these shifts, the structured hybrid working model remains the most common policy across workplaces. Today, 43% of companies in the US have adopted a structured hybrid approach, more than doubling from 20% in early 2023. 66% of structured hybrid companies now require employees on-site three days a week. More companies are requiring “minimum days per week” but the practice of dictating specific days has declined by 7% offering employees more flexibility throughout the week.
How can we help as Designers and Strategists?
The gap between policy and practice is telling. According to the 2025 Q2 Flex Index Report, required in office days have increased 10% from Q1 2024, but attendance has only increased by 1-2% each quarter. This is where Ark's Change Management services can play a critical role in helping companies – clarifying the purpose of time in the office, setting expectations for collaboration vs. focus, and shaping policies that bring consistency to office experience. Our role extends beyond the physical environment – we can help companies define hybrid frameworks that make sense culturally, operationally, and spatially.