Instagram will require employees to work five days a week, Meta confirmed on Monday. The new return-to-office policy took effect on Feb. 2, and is intended to foster a “creative and collaborative working environment,” according to a report by the Sources newsletter that cited an employee memo by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.
“I believe that we are more creative and collaborative when we are together in-person,” Mosseri wrote in the memo, which was titled “Building a Winning Culture in 2026.”
“I felt this pre-COVID and I feel it any time I go to our New York office where the in-person culture is strong,” he added.
A Meta spokesperson told CNBC that the new RTO policy only applies to Instagram and not to the company’s other family of apps, like Facebook and WhatsApp.
Meta had originally instituted a return-to-work policy in 2023 when it called for its employees to work at least three days a week from office. Other tech companies have also instituted similar policies. Amazon had earlier told many employees to return to office five days a week. Other companies like Alphabet, Apple, and Microsoft have taken a slightly softer approach, generally requiring staff to be in the office at least three days a week.
Microsoft had announced its tightened work-from-office rules in September with CEO Satya Nadella saying that an “unintended consequence” of remote work during the pandemic was the weakening of social ties, which he described as “necessary for innovation,” according to remarks reviewed by Business Insider.
Instagram’s employee memo also announced a number of other changes. Recurring meetings will be canceled every six months and only re-added if “absolutely necessary.” Employees are encouraged to decline meetings that interfere with focus time.
“I want most of your time focused on building great products, not preparing for meetings,” Mosseri wrote.
Mosseri also called for more product prototypes than slide decks. “Prototypes allow us to establish a proof of concept and get a real sense for social dynamics, and we use them far too infrequently,” he wrote.
“2026 is going to be tough, as was 2025, but I’m excited about our momentum and our plans for next year,” Mosseri wrote in the memo. “These changes are going to meaningfully help us move Instagram forward in a way we can all be proud of — with creativity, boldness, and craft.”