From WFH to WTF
In this edition: We talk about remote work... or rather lack of it, GenAI use-cases in 2025 vs 24 and Silicon Valley | Mixology 58
Most fads come and go: Coldplay concerts, Ghibli art… the appeal of a CRED ad.
But then, there are some that stick on, until someone comes around and uproots them. Think of remote work and WFH as something like that.
A good afternoon to you too! ☕️
🌏 Product & Design News:
Work From Home? FAANG Says Nah.
Remember when WFH was the dream job perk? Fast-forward to 2025, and the biggest names in tech are pulling the brakes on that fantasy.
Big Tech is done being chill. Here are some updates:
Amazon: Mandatory 5 days/week since Jan 2025. Miss it too much, and you might just get a warning—or worse 👩🏻💻
Meta & Apple: 3 days/week hybrid, enforced by badge swipes 🪪
Google: Your office attendance now factors into performance reviews (!) And some remote workers must come to office 3days/week or lose their job 📈
Netflix: No official mandate, but quite nudging is on 👈🏻
A full-180 deg moment from the early-pandemic Zoom utopia (or madness, depending on your preference)
The New Normal (FAANG Edition)
India’s IT Giants: The Hybrid Hustle
TCS: First promised a futuristic 25/25 model (only 25% employees in office by 2025), but recent cues suggest increased push for physical presence.
LinkedIn ArticleInfosys: Minimum 10 office days per month, tracked via a new app. Exceeding WFH limits? HR gets notified.
Business Today
Domino Effect: Beyond Big Tech
IBM: U.S. sales teams now in-office 3 days/week, some roles even relocating staff. Computing.co.uk: IBM’s RTO Directive
Salesforce: Ditched its “do what works” tagline for hybrid with mandatory office days for most roles. Axios: Back-to-Office Trends
Startups are slowly dialing down on remote-first hiring, preferring hybrid talent within metros.
Some mid-sized firms are bringing back “team days” or “anchor days” to boost visibility, collaboration, and…well, control.
For many early-career professionals, WFO is now seen as a necessary evil to stay “visible” and “promotable.”
TL;DR?
The freedom WFH once symbolized is quietly being replaced by swipe cards and office coffee. FAANG led us into remote utopia. Now they’re dragging us back to the cubicle
The perks might still be there, but the power? It's shifting—back to the buildings with glass walls and whiteboards.
💡 Interesting Reads
How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025 - HBR
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🖥️ From Founders’ Desk
What Akshay is watching: Silicon Valley
I don’t know how I missed this series, but recently started watching Silicon Valley. I absolutely loved Seasons 1 and 2, but the later ones drag on, a bit.
Btw this series is from 2014: so the older references make it funnier… somehow.
They should definitely do a post Covid version of it: would be fun.
And then there is the Indian version, the iconic TVF Pitchers. ‘Tu Beer hai’… ah memories!
And that is about it for edition 58 of Mixology.
Where is your organisation at with all this RTO thing? Would love to hear you over on our Whatsapp discussion group.
We’ll see you there. Cheers!
Loved this! Can’t believe we are going back to old ways, it feels dumb.