Even Zoom wants its workers back in the office: 'A hybrid approach'

Video communications company Zoom elevated to new heights when it came to remote work during the pandemic, when many people started switching to using video conferencing platforms from home.

Now the San Jose, California-based business wants its own employees back in the office, joining a growing number of companies across America instituting return mandates.

Workers near offices must work in person twice weekly

Calling it a hybrid approach, "most effective for Zoom", a company spokesperson told USA TODAY Tuesday employees who live near an office must work in person at least twice a week.

"As a company, we are in a better position to use our own technologies, continue to innovate, and support our global customers," the spokesperson said. "We’ll continue to leverage the entire Zoom platform to keep our employees and dispersed teams connected and working efficiently. Additionally, we will continue to hire the best talent, regardless of location."

The move only applies to employees who live within a 50-mile radius of a Zoom office, the spokesperson said, and is on "a staggered timeline for different regions. We will use the months of August and September to roll it out, taking into consideration the unique circumstances of each region."

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Modern collaboration

Founded in 2011, Zoom's platform allows people to work from anywhere in the world including home.

Zoom technology "puts people at the center, enabling meaningful connections, facilitating modern collaboration, and driving human innovation through solutions like team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel cloud contact center, smart recordings, whiteboard, and more, in one offering," its website reads.

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Survey shows 58% of employees can work from home

In addition to Zoom employees, tens of millions of Americans work remotely today.

According to a 2022 survey conducted by management consulting company McKinsey, 58% of U.S. workers have the option to work where they want at least one day a week, while 35% can work remotely up to five days a week.

The survey found, when given the choice, 87% of surveyed employees prefer remote work and spend an average of three days a week at home while 41% of workers said they are not permitted to work from home.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.