Macy’s Warns Workers They May Be Fired If They Don’t Return to the Office

The Macy’s flagship store in the Herald Square neighborhood of New York.

(Bloomberg) — Macy’s Inc. has issued a new mandate to its corporate employees: Get to the office two days a week or face disciplinary actions.

On Monday, the mall-based retailer informed its hybrid employees via email that the new policy will go into effect May 13, according to people familiar with the matter. The new policy will affect one-third of Macy’s corporate workforce, including the merchandising, marketing, and customer and digital teams, confirmed spokesman Chris Grams.

The company has given employees a three-month grace period to move back to the New York City area. If they haven’t returned by then, workers will risk consequences that could include termination. Previously Macy’s remote work policy was more ad hoc and varied by team.

Macy’s move comes amid a broader push by companies across corporate America to boost office attendance, a campaign that has shifted from cajoling to compelling in recent months. Return-to-office proponents argue that collaboration and mentoring happen best in person, while remote-work advocates say flexible schedules raise employee morale.

Most white-collar workplaces have decided on a bit of both, with hybrid arrangements that require workers to be onsite a few days a week. Of those, three days a week is the most common setup, followed by two, according to Scoop Technologies, which tracks policies for more than 8,000 firms.

Macy’s mandate comes about three months after Tony Spring assumed the role of chief executive officer. Like many mall-based retailers, Macy’s has struggled with a long-term shift in consumer behavior that favors online shopping.

–With assistance from Matthew Boyle and Jeannette Neumann.

(Updates number of affected employees in second paragraph.)

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