Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol was promised the ability to work remotely when brought in from Chipotle. Company employees won't have the same luxury in 2026.

Corporate employees are required to be at the office four days a week, while some remote staff have been instructed to relocate.

The shift from three to four required days marks the latest escalation in Starbucks’ broader “Back to Starbucks” turnaround strategy.

Starbucks has updated its remote work policy, requiring all corporate \"people leaders\" to be based in Seattle or Toronto within 12 months and increasi

Starbucks looks to be the latest company to be ramping up the pressure on employees to be back in the office. On Monday, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol sent a memo to staff announcing that the company was upping the required number of days in the office from three to four.

Starbucks is increasing its return-to-office requirement to four days a week from three, CEO Brian Niccol said on Monday.

That change is expected to being within the new fiscal year which kicks off on October 1. As for those in a remote work setting, that will also be coming to an end. In February the company asked all "vp+ leaders" to begin relocating to Seattle or Toronto and will be extending that requirement to all support center leaders.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s words will hold a lot more weight if he can show Starbucks employees he’s willing to do what he’s asking them to do.