The company's leaders recently told office-based employees that, starting from June, they must work in the office three days a week, up from two.
The policy change prompted employee backlash on internal company forums. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi received criticism at a company meeting last week (6 May), according to audio recordings reviewed by CNBC.
Khosrowshahi said in an interview with CNBC: “They’ve got to make their own choice. Do they want to come to the office, or is working remotely really important for them? The good news is the economy is still really strong, the job market is strong.
“We want them, obviously, to take the opportunity with us, to take the opportunity to learn. But this is a company where you have to work hard.”
How can HR manage RTO backlash effectively?
There is a perception that RTO policies are based on mistrust, said Frank Weishaupt, CEO of video technology provider Owl Labs.
He told HR magazine: “Leaders need to address RTO concerns head-on by fostering open dialogue and making the rationale behind policies clear. Flexibility should remain at the heart of any RTO approach.
“Involving employees in decisions about where they work, and offering a mix of remote and in-office options, helps build engagement and trust. Ultimately, the most successful organisations will be those that measure success by the quality of work delivered, not simply by their presence in the office.”
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In order to avoid wider backlash to RTO policies, business leaders should ensure these policies align with wider workforce values, added Olive Turon, head of people and culture at psychometric employment test platform TestGorilla.
Speaking to HR magazine, she said: “If an RTO mandate feels inconsistent with company values or culture, employees will see straight through it. But when it fits the underlying philosophy – for example, valuing in-person collaboration for learning or innovation – it shifts from being seen as a ‘removal of autonomy’ to a meaningful change for success.
“From there, organisations should recruit people who genuinely want to work in an office-based environment. This means being upfront in employer branding, job descriptions, careers pages and throughout the hiring process.”
Uber is not the only company that has urged their employees to return to the office. Last month, Google requested employees to be in the office three days a week.
Amazon also urged employees to return to the office five days a week last month.
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To manage backlash, HR leaders should equip line managers with the tools to do so, stressed Caitlin Duffy, senior research director at consultancy Gartner HR.
Duffy told HR magazine: “To manage backlash and protect long-term productivity, leaders must equip managers to demonstrate three specific behaviours to sustain employee productivity in the wake of RTO transitions: recognising and validating employee contributions, evaluating employees on objective outcomes rather than presence, and engaging in regular, open conversations about productivity. These steps reinforce trust and help employees feel valued.
“Policies designed around specific purposes, such as group brainstorming, special events or performance conversations also improve employees’ ability to work effectively and promote better engagement and performance.”
Striking the balance between what is right for employees and what is right for the business can be tricky, added Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director of HR and payroll provider Employment Hero.
He told HR magazine: “HR leaders and business owners need to ask themselves: What’s best for the people, and what’s best for the business? Striking that balance is tricky, but forcing an ‘all-in’ return to office won’t solve anything. If backlash happens, it’s about listening and making adjustments, not doubling down on a policy that isn’t working.
“As more companies roll out RTO policies, I think we’ll see more resistance. If companies want to attract top talent and keep their teams happy, they need to think beyond the traditional office setup."
