After launching remotely during Covid in 2020, Nothing has now mandated that its 450 employees will have to come into the company’s London office five days a week. In an email to staffers last week, Nothing CEO Carl Pei suggested that those unable to transition from remote working should leave the company, and they should “find an environment where you thrive.”

Pei’s goal, according to the email he published on LinkedIn, is to improve collaboration and innovation across design, engineering, and manufacturing, which he argues “does not work well remotely.” The new mandate will take effect in two months, and Pei will be accepting live questions about the decision from Nothing staffers during the company’s next Town Hall meeting.

“Remote work is not compatible with a high ambition level plus high speed,” Pei’ said in the email, telling employees who are worried about flexibility that “this is a company for grown ups.”

“I know this is a controversial decision that may not be a fit for everyone, and there are definitely companies out there that thrive in remote or hybrid setups,” he added. “But that’s not right for our type of business, and won’t help us fully realize our potential as a company.” 

Return-to-office mandates are hardly unique in this industry. Meta, Amazon, Google, Roblox and even Zoom have all scaled back their remote working policies following the winding down of Covid-driven lockdowns, but most of those changes require staff to be in offices for up to three days a week.

By comparison, Nothing’s demand for five-day office attendance may sting for employees who helped shape the company while embracing its founding work-from-home environment. We haven’t found any comments from staffers on the situation, but they may be waiting until the company Town Hall to voice any concerns.