Back to Office... or Else? 4-Day Workweek Trials & Yummy Work Lunches - Feb 25, 2025

Hello Tuesday! ☕ Companies are cracking down on remote work — Amazon, AT&T, and more. Is it about productivity or a power move? Hold tight of your coffee cup (trying not to burn or spill) as the RTO battle is heating up!

On the agenda: 

🤔 Back to Office… or Else? The real reasons employers want you in.

🕟 4-Day Workweek Trials: 10 countries test shorter workweeks.

🥗 Yummy Work Lunches: Healthy, tasty and easy lunch ideas for work.

SPOTLIGHT 

Back to the Office… or Else? The Real Reason Employers Want You In

The Return-to-Office (RTO) war rages on as the era of pajama-clad Zoom meetings winds down! While some employees are clinging to their home office setups like a life raft, many companies are tightening their policies — and some aren’t playing nice. Some recent examples:

🔹 Amazon just scrapped hybrid work for corporate employees, demanding they return 5 days a week in 2025. The backlash? Internal protests, petitions, and some employees quiet quitting… loudly.

🔹 AT&T’s strict RTO mandate has been a goldmine for Verizon recruiters however, who’ve been emailing AT&T employees saying, “Hate being back in the office? We’re still flexible.” Clever move!

🔹 JPMorgan Chase wants workers in four days a week and just reminded employees that hustle culture is alive and well — even if their commute is eating up 10+ hours a week.

The Real Reasons Behind RTO: Is it really about better collaboration, or are there underlying reasons behind it? While companies cite collaboration, mentorship, and productivity, there’s seemingly more at play:

📊 Real Estate Expenses – Expensive office leases need employees back to justify them.
🕵️‍♂️ Control & Visibility – Executives still believe productivity = being visible and present.
📉 Declining Office Culture – Employers worry remote work weakens team cohesion and company identity.

With more and more companies following suit, it begs the question: Is remote work dead – 7 in 10 CEOs believe it will be “officially” in under 3 years!?

What’s your take: Productivity boost or corporate control? We weigh up the WFH pros and cons in this piece:

CAREER GROWTH

25 Career and Life Lessons You Can Learn from Disney Movies

While you are watching these Disney movies and are feeling nostalgic for your childhood, you may come to realize that there’s a lesson behind each storyline.

So, if you’re having a bad day and need a little pick-me-up, select some of your favourite Disney films to cheer yourself up.

To help you appreciate these movies even more, these 25 lessons from Disney movies will inspire you in your life and career.

NEWS & TRENDS

1️⃣ 10 Countries Trying 4-Day Workweeks — Nations like Belgium and Japan test shorter workweeks to boost work-life balance. [Condé Nast Traveler]

2️⃣ Is Workplace Burnout the Norm? — Exploring the prevalence of burnout among American and Canadian workers. [Rocky Mountain Outlook]

3️⃣ '5 to 9' Trend: Boosting Productivity? — A routine suggests starting self-care at 5 a.m. before the workday. [Cleveland Clinic]

4️⃣ The ‘Task Masking' TikTok Trend — A TikTok trend where employees appear busier than they are to evade additional tasks. [WorkLife]

5️⃣ 'Sleepmaxxing': The Ultimate Rest Hack — Embracing extended sleep as a wellness and productivity strategy. [Country & Town House]

WORKPLACE

25 Yummy and Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work

If you’re anything like me, you spend a mind-boggling amount of time watching the clock and willing it to count down the seconds to lunchtime faster. You adore food, and you’re always on the lookout for recipes to try.

To help, I’ve handpicked a selection of quick, light meal ideas, hearty lunch recipes and healthy post-lunch desserts to draw some food-spiration from. Adding some of these to your workweek can help you reach some of your goals faster, whether that’s losing weight, boosting your mood or increasing your energy levels.

BREAKROOM

SMART READS