Nothing, the British tech company behind popular smartphones and earbuds, has announced a new work policy requiring all employees to return to the office five days a week.

CEO Carl Pei communicated this change in an email to the company’s 450 employees, which he later posted on LinkedIn. Pei cited the need for personal collaboration, creativity and speed as reasons why remote work no longer aligns with Nothing’s ambitions.

When nothing was was founded in 2020operated the company entirely remotely due to pandemic restrictions. As the situation developed, the London-based company adopted a hybrid working model at its headquarters, with other facilities operating in the office. Now, nothing moves all employees back to the office full-time, including those in London.

Pei gave three main reasons for this decision:

• Collaboration on physical products: Pei emphasized that Nothing’s focus on creating physical products requires close collaboration between its design, engineering, manufacturing and quality teams, which he believes is difficult to achieve remotely.
• Creativity and innovation: He noted that creativity and innovation are essential for Nothing to compete with larger companies, and argued that these elements do not thrive in a remote work environment.
• Ambitious goals: Pei linked the decision to Nothing’s goal of becoming a generation-defining company that operates at a fast pace, which he said is not compatible with remote work.

In his announcement, Pei acknowledged that the new policy may not be suitable for everyone, encouraging those who don’t feel comfortable with the change to find a workplace where they can thrive. He emphasized the importance of finding “a mutual fit” between the company’s needs and the employees’ preferences.

Is this a common trend among tech companies?

Pei’s stance on returning to the office reflects a broader trend among tech leaders pushing for a full return to in-person work.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy made one similar statement last year, telling employees unwilling to return to the office that it “probably won’t work” for them. Elon Musk has also implemented strict requirements in the office at their companies, mandating that employees spend at least 40 hours per week in the office.

Featured image courtesy of Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch

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