Archive · 11 Aug 2026
TikTok to mandate five-day office work for US employees
TikTok is the company that makes a very popular short-video app.
Many people work for TikTok in the United States, making sure the app runs well.
After the pandemic, some of these workers were allowed to stay home on some days.
Starting in September, TikTok wants most of its US workers to come to the office every day of the week.
Some workers already do this, like the people on the TikTok Shop team.
Last December, TikTok told several departments to get ready for this change.
Other big tech companies are also asking workers to return to their desks.
Some companies, like Spotify and Dropbox, still let people work from home.
TikTok's leaders say working in the office helps people work better together and build company culture.
Some workers like working from home because they have more freedom and flexibility.
TikTok will require US employees to work from the office five days a week starting in September, according to a Business Insider report citing three TikTok employees.
Some TikTok teams already follow a five-day office schedule, including the TikTok Shop e-commerce division, which has been required to work in-office every day for more than a year.
In December, TikTok reportedly told employees in departments including product, marketing and advertising sales to prepare for a full return to the office in 2026.
TikTok has offices in roughly a dozen US cities, including New York, Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago, and employs thousands of people across the country.
The mandate follows a broader tech industry push toward in-person work, while Spotify retains a flexible policy and Dropbox maintains a 'virtual-first' approach.
- Who
- TikTok, its US employees, and parent company ByteDance
- What
- TikTok will mandate five-day-a-week in-office work for US employees, tightening its remote-work policy starting in September.
- When
- Starting in September, after TikTok reportedly told some departments in December to prepare for a full return to the office in 2026.
- Where
- TikTok's offices in roughly a dozen US cities, including New York, Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago.
- Why
- Part of a broader shift among technology companies toward in-person work; some executives argue in-person work improves collaboration, productivity and company culture.
Flexibility advocates
Return-to-office proponents
Office attendance requirements
Flexibility advocates
Companies like Spotify and Dropbox retain flexible or virtual-first policies; Dropbox co-CEO Ashraf Alkarmi says flexibility and autonomy are increasingly important to employees.
Return-to-office proponents
TikTok and many other technology companies are requiring employees to work from the office five days a week, with some teams already on full-time office schedules.
Value of in-person work
Flexibility advocates
Some executives continue to favor flexibility, arguing that autonomy is increasingly important to employees.
Return-to-office proponents
Some executives argue that in-person work improves collaboration, productivity and company culture.
- Company
- TikTok (parent company: ByteDance)
- Policy
- Five-day office work mandate for US employees
- Start date
- Starting in September
- Report source
- Business Insider, citing three TikTok employees
- Teams already on five-day schedule
- TikTok Shop e-commerce division, for more than a year
- US offices
- Roughly a dozen cities, including New York, Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago
- Companies with flexible policies
- Spotify (flexible), Dropbox (virtual-first)