Metro requiring employees back in-office full-time starting in 2025

WASHINGTON - Metro is joining a growing list of workplaces ordering employees back to their desks five days a week. The directive will not take effect for some time but it's still sparking conversation among many who can still work from home part-time. 

Many people have gotten used to the flexibility of working from home or working on a hybrid schedule but it seems more and more companies are transitioning back to having employees in the office full-time. 

At Amazon’s HQ2 in National Landing, the company's Arlington county-based employees are being ordered back into the office full-time starting Jan. 2. Carlo Diaz is one of those workers.

"We'll see how it goes next month.  I know a lot of people feel strongly one way or the other but you know it is what it is and I think no matter what the idea of going back five days a week there's some pros or cons," Diaz said. 

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Last month, the Washington Post, which is also owned by Jeff Bezos, announced that its D.C.-based staff must be back at their desks five days a week starting in June.

"I think that is tough, right?" Andrew Burk, who works in the office full-time. "I know that every company has different priorities so I think that's really a tough thing to think about is when you call people back in."

Now, Metro is ordering its entire staff back to the office five days a week starting next July. 

Metro's train and bus operators and maintenance crews have been working in-person all along. That's about 85 percent of Metro's 13,000 employees. The other 15 percent — administrative and office staff — have been allowed to work hybrid schedules.  

The staff notice was sent out last week. Senior Metro staff have to be back in-house full-time starting in February and all other employees in the building four days a week in February. Then five days a week starting July 1.

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FOX 5 spoke to several people in Downtown D.C. Monday who say the ability to work from home has been a huge deal for many.

"It allows a lot of flexibility. If something comes up and you need to work from home you can still get your work done, I don't know, be home for the plumber or whatever but I also understand coming into the office builds a lot of camaraderie you know. Just have those water cooler conversations and get to know your colleagues so I see pros and cons," said Kumi Kato, who works a hybrid schedule.

And at Amazon, Diaz says he sees the pros and cons as well.

"Whenever I choose to work from home for two days, I am able to get like chores done on the side maybe just do some kind of monotonous things that I can't really do if I'm in office," Diaz said. "But then also being in office helps me you know connect with my team members. Meet these people and make friends with them in a way that I wouldn't have if I was just online."