John Lamparski/Getty Images; Shannon Finney/WireImage
- On Thursday, Paramount unveiled "Phase 2" of its RTO plan.
- US on-site and hybrid employees are expected to return to the office in September, and some remote workers will have to do so in 2027.
- David Ellison's company previously instituted a five-day RTO mandate for staffers who live near its NY and LA offices.
Paramount Skydance just told a new batch of workers to prepare to return to the office as part of "Phase 2" of its RTO plan.
Employees assigned to US offices outside New York or Los Angeles were told on Thursday that they'd be expected to return to in-person work full-time starting on September 14, according to an internal document obtained by Business Insider.
Some full-time remote employees will also be expected to return to the office as part of Phase 2, starting in 2027, an RTO FAQ said.
"These employees should continue working remotely full-time through 2026 and will receive information and resources well in advance of any transition," the FAQ said.
Some Paramount staffers on certain teams are exempt from CEO David Ellison's push for in-person work. A person familiar with the decision told Business Insider that the streaming tech and ad operations teams could continue to work from home, for example.
Four streaming employees told Business Insider they'd received emails on Thursday saying they could continue to work from home. The email, viewed by Business Insider, said the company determined they were "not in scope for RTO and will continue in the full-time remote work model."
In the RTO FAQ, Paramount shared its rationale for calling some staffers back to the office.
"In this creative business, our success depends on close collaboration, and being in person together will help us innovate, solve problems, share ideas, and build stronger connections," the FAQ said.
Employees who don't comply with the RTO policy could face consequences.
"Managers will be responsible for ensuring team members meet the full-time in-office requirement," the FAQ said. "When expectations aren't met, it will lead to discipline up to and including dismissal."
Many of Paramount's staffers were already called back to the office as part of "Phase 1."
In September, Paramount told thousands of employees assigned to its New York or Los Angeles offices that they'd need to work in person five days a week starting in January.
Ellison told staffers in January that "returning to the office full-time has been an adjustment for many" and that he appreciated "the flexibility and commitment you've shown" in returning to the office, Business Insider reported.
Other major media companies have called workers back to the office in recent years, though most still allow at least some remote work.
Most Disney employees go into the office four days a week, and NBCUniversal put in a four-day-per-week RTO mandate in January. Meanwhile, WBD staffers go in three days a week, and Netflix has a fully remote option.
This story has been updated with additional details.