Instagram is preparing for a significant overhaul of its workplace culture, with Chief Executive Adam Mosseri instructing all United States staff with assigned office desks to return on a full-time basis from early February. The requirement, which begins on 2 February, marks one of the strictest return-to-office mandates among major tech companies.

The directive was outlined in an internal memo titled “building a winning culture in 2026”, first circulated on Monday and later confirmed by Meta. In the note, Mosseri argued that in-person work boosts creativity and collaboration, and said he had long believed teams perform better when physically together.

The policy applies only to Instagram employees based in the United States who hold designated office desks. Remote workers will not be affected, nor will staff at other Meta-owned platforms such as Facebook or WhatsApp. Since late 2023, Meta has already required its broader workforce to be in the office for at least three days per week.

Mosseri said staff would still have some flexibility to work from home when needed, but he urged employees to use their judgement when balancing the new expectations. New York employees will not be required to return five days per week until the company resolves ongoing space constraints at its city offices.

Alongside the shift back to office life, Mosseri outlined a series of changes aimed at reducing routine and sharpening productivity. He said Instagram would cancel all non-essential recurring meetings every six months and would only reinstate those that are strictly necessary. He encouraged teams to decline meetings that fall within personal focus blocks, and noted that one-to-one sessions should default to a biweekly schedule.

Mosseri also urged staff to rethink how they present work. He said product overviews should centre on prototypes rather than slide decks, arguing that prototypes offer clearer proof of concept and give leadership a better understanding of social dynamics. Slide presentations, when unavoidable, should be kept as tight as possible.

Product review sessions, he added, must have explicit objectives and clear outcomes. The overarching aim is to ensure employee time goes into building strong products rather than preparing for meetings that do not advance development.

Instagram’s move goes further than most of Silicon Valley’s recent return-to-office policies. While Amazon announced a full-time office return from 2026, many other companies have opted for hybrid structures. Google recently tightened rules around its work-from-anywhere scheme but has not reinstated a five-day requirement. Microsoft plans a phased three-day policy beginning in 2026.

Mosseri suggested that the combined push for daily attendance and cleaner work processes is designed to prepare Instagram for what he warned would be a demanding year ahead. He said he expects the new approach to accelerate decision-making and increase the clarity of Instagram’s priorities as the platform works towards ambitious goals for 2026.

“These changes are going to meaningfully help us move Instagram forward in a way we can all be proud of, with creativity, boldness, and craft,” Mosseri wrote.