Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
Roblox has announced it is shifting strategies and implementing a somewhat forced return-to-office policy that will be implemented between now and January 2024. According to a recently published letter from CEO David Baszucki, many of Roblox’s remote workers will be asked to adhere to a three-day in-office work week. Said employees have until January 2024 to comply or they will be forced to resign and take a severance package.
David Baszucki posted the details of the order for a return to office on the Roblox website this week. According to Baszucki, while Roblox was happy to implement a work-from-home policy for the safety of its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, post-pandemic remote work has revealed what Baszucki considers to be a number of issues for the company, including unwieldy and unsatisfactory communications, a lack of opportunity for mentorship, and a lack of personal brainstorming and innovation. With this in mind, Baszucki shared that Roblox will ask a number of employees to return to the office at least three days a week at the company headquarters in San Mateo.
Baszucki goes on to say that workers that have been asked to return to office will have until January 2024 to decide if they can. Employees who consent will be aided in relocation efforts. However, those who cannot consent will be asked to resign from their positions with the offer of a severance package based on their tenure and position within the company. They will also be offered six months of health insurance as they look for other work.
It's an interesting position for Roblox. During the last few years, the company has been doing well on revenue, beating expectations regularly. However, Q2 2023 was a down period for Roblox, marking one the first time the company missed both EPS and revenue expectations in several quarters.
It’s unknown if the recent struggling quarter has contributed to the return-to-office policy, but it seems many Roblox employees will have a rather stark decision to make in the months ahead. Stay tuned as we continue to watch for further updates to this story.