Houston Mayor John Whitmire has announced that the city’s work-from-home policy will end, and all city employees will be required to work full-time from the office starting Monday, February 1, 2025.
In a memo to city department directors, Mayor Whitmire stated that the “Hybrid-Telework Program” will be terminated, and “all employees will return to their office workstations unless a formally approved exception or accommodation exists.”
This policy change will affect approximately 1,600 of the city’s 22,000 workers who have been working under hybrid and work-from-home schedules implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Whitmire emphasized the importance of in-person collaboration for public servants, stating, “The best way to serve the public is to work together in the office, enhancing collaboration and making the City of Houston more effective as we tackle significant challenges.”
“We are all public servants, and each employee plays a vital role in ensuring our municipal government operates efficiently and prioritizes the needs of our constituents,” Whitmire wrote in his memo. “The best way to serve the public is to work together in the office, enhancing collaboration and making the City of Houston more effective as we tackle significant challenges.”
The policy change will impact approximately 1,600 of the city’s 22,000 workers. Hybrid and work-from-home schedules were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My administration looks forward to the return of all city employees to the office. In-person collaboration fosters teamwork, innovation, and accountability, allowing us to deliver on our promises,” said Whitmire. “We are committed to working together to eliminate waste, fraud, duplication, and corruption and to align with my vision and priorities to serve Houstonians.”
The City of Houston’s decision to end its hybrid work policy aligns with a growing national trend among both corporate and municipal offices. Companies like Amazon, Conocco Phillips, AT&T, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs have also mandated a return to the office. Additionally, the city of Portland, Oregon, will require full-time in-office work for city managers starting in April 2025.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the number of Americans working from home has decreased by 3.2 million since 2021.
