Lily and her husband decided to leave Brooklyn after they had their first child. Their apartment was too cramped and her brother had a vacation home in a town two hours north of New York.
They closed the sale of their property in late summer 2024, and Lily’s work told her they were fine with her commuting to their Midtown office twice a week.
But the mood shifted in 2025. Suddenly, management started talking about the value of in-person office attendance. Lily says she knew in the back of her mind that remote work — which was largely adopted during the pandemic — wouldn’t last forever. But when the signs started to appear that she would have to spend four hours a day, at least four days a week commuting, she started to panic.
Should Lily quit preemptively or try to negotiate? Here’s how to set your money and your plan before the memo hits your inbox.
As early as 2021, many large companies — particularly in tech and banking — began asking employees to come into the office at least two days a week. In 2025, those calls are getting louder. Major employers, including Microsoft, NBCUniversal, Paramount and JPMorgan Chase, have all ordered workers back to the office. Paramount and JPMorgan have even implemented five-day-a-week mandates.
According to a report from Jones Lang LaSalle, 54% of Fortune 100 employees are already required to be in the office five days a week — a sharp jump from just 5% reported in 2022, and the number is expected to keep rising, even among smaller companies. (1) One survey of 849 managers found that 80% of companies are tightening return to office (RTO) enforcement, and 30% plan to phase out remote working by the end of the year (2).
The federal government has also taken a stand on in-office work since the beginning of the Trump administration. In January 2025, the White House ordered executive agencies to end remote work and bring employees back full-time, with limited exemptions. (3) Follow-up guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) outlined how agencies should implement the order.
Story Continues
Why are employers pushing for RTO? Executives often cite team cohesion, faster problem-solving and informal learning.
“Being together greatly enhances mentoring, learning, brainstorming and getting things done. It accelerates decision-making and offers valuable opportunities for spontaneous learning and creativity,” JPMorgan wrote in its return-to-work memo. (4) “It also allows our early career professionals to learn through our apprenticeship model and expand their networks by building connections with peers across the firm.”
A group of researchers from Stanford, the University of Hong Kong and Peking University found that hybrid work had no negative effects on performance. In fact, it boosted job satisfaction and reduced quitting rates — especially among non-managers, female employees with long commutes (5).
The work-from-home revolution during the pandemic was a natural experiment, and social scientists found that the benefits of remote work are even since many jobs simply can’t be done remotely.
“We have 10% of our people working at home full-time,” Jaime Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase and an early advocate, acknowledged earlier this year. (6) “They’re highly effective … so I’m not against it where it works.”
Read more: US car insurance costs have surged 50% from 2020 to 2024 — this simple 2-minute check could put hundreds back in your pocket
If you’re like Lily, moving again to shorten your commute might be too disruptive or too expensive. If quitting seems inevitable, remember that you control the timing. Use the lead-up to an RTO mandate to build a financial cushion, protect your benefits and line up your next job.
Aim to save three to six months of essential expenses while you still have a steady income. Start adjusting your budget now — small cuts compound into a real runway later. Even canceling one subscription can buy you another week of flexibility. Redirect any bonuses or windfalls before you leave.
Compare Continuation of Health Coverage (COBRA) with an Affordable Care Act Marketplace plan and map out enrollment windows in advance. You typically have a limited period to elect COBRA or choose a Marketplace plan. Estimate premiums and potential tax credits in advance so you’re not scrambling after you resign and your coverage changes.
Read your benefits documents and plan your exit with key dates so a bonus, equity vesting or 401(k) matches posts before you give notice. Review your paid time off policy to see whether you should use your remaining days or receive a payout when you leave. Ask HR whether the company offers transition packages for RTO departures — some teams may trade a firm end date for a smooth knowledge handoff.
Plan as if you will not qualify for unemployment benefits — voluntary resignations usually don’t count. Research your state’s rules now so your savings goals and timeline are based on the most conservative assumptions while you prepare to leave on your terms.
RTO pressure is real, even as strong evidence shows hybrid work can boost performance and retention. If remote work is a non-negotiable, treat your exit like a professional project. Build your cash reserves, lock in health coverage, understand unemployment rules and run a focused job search.
You might not control your company’s policies, but you can control how and when you walk away — and make sure your finances are ready when you do.
Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CNN (1); Resume Templates (2); The White House (3); Reddit (4); Nature (5; Economic Times (6).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.