Paramount just told staff to pack up and prepare for a five-day office return — read the leaked memo

• Paramount Skydance's return-to-office push is coming into focus.
• The company is preparing its New York and Los Angeles offices for an influx of in-person workers.
• Read the memo Paramount's "RTO Task Force" sent to employees about how to prepare.

Paramount Skydance is getting ready to welcome its employees back to the office five days a week.

But first, Paramount staffers will be asked to work remotely from December 1 to January 2, so that the company can prepare for an influx of in-person workers.

Paramount employees working at the company's Times Square and Hollywood offices were instructed to clean and pack their belongings for storage by the end of the day on November 21, according to a memo from the "Paramount RTO Task Force" sent on Monday, which was viewed by Business Insider.

"Most teams will stay in their current areas, although some will be moving floors to ensure that everyone has their own dedicated workspace," the Paramount RTO Task Force wrote in an email to employees. It added that the company is "partnering with senior leaders to plan these changes carefully, taking into account team and business needs."

A Paramount spokesperson declined to comment on the memo.

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison informed staffers in early September that they'll have to work in person from Monday to Friday, starting January 5, 2026. Those who weren't willing to comply were offered a severance package, which about 600 employees accepted, the company said on Monday.

Paramount laid off about 1,000 staffers in late October.

The return-to-office trend shows no sign of slowing down. Major companies, including AT&T, Dell, and NBCUniversal, have called their staffers back into the office this year.

"The worst-kept secret in corporate America is, CEOs want people back in the office," said Dan Kaplan, the head of the HR practice at consulting firm ZRG, told Business Insider.

During the RTO push, some companies may have gotten out over their skis. Amazon didn't have enough desks for employees when they returned to the office earlier this year, Business Insider reported.

Paramount appears poised to avoid mistakes made by other firms with this process, Kaplan said.

"Being deliberate, careful, and thoughtful is smart," Kaplan said. He added that "it's like parents dropping kids off on the first day of college: You want it to be orderly."

When companies fail to plan effectively, Kaplan said, it can cause "chaos" for employees, leading to angst and frustration with leadership.

Here's the full memo to employees from the Paramount RTO Task Force:

Hi all,

Before we return to the office (RTO) full time in Los Angeles and New York on January 5, we wanted to provide a few key updates.

First, individual workspace seating assignments will be shared by mid-December. In general, most teams will stay in their current areas, although some will be moving floors to ensure that everyone has their own dedicated workspace. We are partnering with senior leaders to plan these changes carefully, taking into account team and business needs.

Second, to prepare our workplace for RTO, we are conducting a “Clean + Pack” period from November 10–21 at select locations (see the tables below).

• Clean + Pack applies to non-production employees in agile workspaces.
• Employees with existing dedicated offices/workstations will receive a separate communication with guidance if applicable.

Location	Clean + Pack
1515 Broadway	YES
Gower	YES
Streaming West Hollywood	YES
Streaming Burbank	YES

Location	Clean + Pack
Paramount Pictures Studio Lot	NO
CBS Broadcast Center (524, 555 W 57th St.)	NO
Nick Animation Studio	NO
Radford	NO
2900 Olympic Blvd (Santa Monica)	NO
Cloud Control Center (Hauppauge)	NO

Clean + Pack – What’s Required

• Please pack any personal belongings from your workstation, office, and/or locker in a box clearly labeled with your full name.
• Facilities will provide boxes, packing materials, and bins for trash, donations, shredding, and recycling.
• Leave the box in your current workspace so that Facilities can move it to a secure place on your current floor. You’ll be instructed to retrieve your box in January when full-time office work begins. Valuable items and confidential materials should be brought home.
• Any personal items that are left unpacked after November 21 will be discarded. Items in storage rooms and file banks will remain as they are.

1515 Broadway & Gower ONLY – Remote Work Period

• All non-production employees at 1515 Broadway and Gower, including those in dedicated offices and workstations, should plan to work remotely from December 1 – January 2. This will ensure our Real Estate & Facilities teams have time to make needed adjustments, prep workspaces for moves, and ready these buildings for our return.
• If you would like to work in the office during this period, contact your Workplace Ambassador team (for CA or for NY) to make arrangements.

Existing Ergonomics + Specialized Desktop Technology

• If you have an existing dedicated ergonomic setup, contact your Workplace Ambassador team (for CA or for NY). For questions or to request an ergonomic evaluation, email [email redacted].
• If you have existing specialized desktop technology in an office or workstation, contact Client Services or Production Technology.

Looking Ahead

More updates will follow in the coming weeks with details on workspace moves and team-specific guidance, as well as an overview of onsite services, benefit programs, info sessions, and other resources to help you prepare for RTO. If you have questions on RTO or are unsure whether Clean + Pack applies to you, please refer to this RTO FAQ or contact AskHR.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we prepare to return to the office full time in the new year.

Best,

Paramount RTO Task Force