After 250 layoffs and a Nashville office shutdown, TikTok makes another big move US employees didn’t expect and it’s the same one Instagram and Amazon made

TikTok has announced major change to its US workforce just days after announcing layoffs and the closure of its Nashville office. The company has planned to require most US employees to return to the office five days a week starting in September, three staffers familiar with the plans told the Business Insider.

The move marks a significant shift for TikTok employees who currently work on hybrid schedules and are allowed to work remotely at least one day a week. It also comes at a time when the company is restructuring parts of its US operations and relying more heavily on artificial intelligence for content moderation.

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TikTok plans 5-day return to office in September

TikTok has told employees that most US staffers will be expected to work from the office five days a week beginning in September, the report said. For some workers, the change will mean giving up a hybrid schedule that currently allows them to work from home on certain days.

Other TikTok teams have already been operating under a five-day office schedule. Employees working in TikTok Shop, the company's e-commerce division, have reportedly been coming into the office every day for more than a year.

The broader return-to-office push has been in development for months. In December, TikTok employees across areas including product, marketing and ad sales were told to prepare for a full return to the office in 2026. The latest move puts TikTok among a growing group of major technology and media companies pushing employees back into physical workplaces.

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TikTok's RTO move comes after 250 layoffs

The timing of the announcement is significant because TikTok has also recently announced cuts to its US workforce. Earlier this month, TikTok laid off 250 employees and closing its Nashville office, which housed some members of the company's content-moderation team, reported The New York Times.

The Nashville office, which TikTok leased in 2024, is expected to close on October 5.

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Zanna Crowley, a spokesperson for the TikTok USDS Joint Venture, confirmed the layoffs and office closure, saying the move was designed to “streamline our operations and better align our teams for long-term growth.”

“We remain fully committed to providing secure, safe and positive experiences for the 200 million Americans that create, discover and connect with what they love on TikTok,” the spokesperson said.

The cuts come as social media companies increasingly turn to AI to identify and remove violent or explicit material from their platforms.

The combination of layoffs, an office closure and a broader return-to-office mandate highlights the significant changes underway across TikTok's US operations.

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TikTok joins tech giants pushing workers back to offices

TikTok isn't alone in requiring employees to spend more time at the office. Its rival Instagram and Amazon both require many employees to work in the office five days a week.

Other major companies have taken a less aggressive approach to returning workers to physical offices. YouTube and Patreon, for example, have continued with hybrid arrangements that require employees to come in roughly three days a week.

The differences reflect a broader divide in Silicon Valley and the technology industry over how much flexibility workers should retain after years of remote and hybrid work.

Some executives argue that regular office attendance improves collaboration, management and company culture. Others maintain that employees can be productive without being physically present every day.

Where does TikTok have US offices?

TikTok operates offices in roughly a dozen US cities, including New York, Austin, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The company employs thousands of people across the United States and operates partly through a joint venture involving its parent company, ByteDance, along with investors including Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake and investment company MGX.

Different parts of TikTok's US operation fall under different structures.

Some areas, including US e-commerce and marketing, are overseen by TikTok's global team within ByteDance. Other functions, including data protection and content moderation, are handled separately in the US under the joint venture.

What TikTok's latest changes mean for employees

For employees currently working under hybrid arrangements, the September RTO requirement could represent a substantial change to their daily routines.

Workers who have become accustomed to spending one or more days a week at home will now have to prepare for a full five-day office schedule.

The timing also makes the announcement particularly significant. TikTok is simultaneously reducing its workforce in Nashville, shutting down that office and changing how many remaining US employees are expected to work. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the planned September return-to-office requirement.