Gap corporate employees can no longer work from home, scratching the cat or taking the dog for walks.
The San Francisco-based clothing retailer has followed in the footsteps of companies such as Salesforce, Amazon.com and JPMorgan Chase in calling their workers back to the office full time, the San Francisco Business Times reported.
The publicly traded retail chain has briefed employees on buildup plans for a five-day office workweek by September.
Gap’s move could make a substantial difference for businesses surrounding the retailer’s headquarters at 2 Folsom Street, as well as its office in Pleasanton at 4450 Rosewood Drive as hundreds of workers return to the office.
The remote work changes apply to Gap offices across the U.S., including its product development headquarters in New York, and across its four major brands: Gap, Old Navy, Athleta and Banana Republic.
Gap declined to disclose what punitive measures it would take against workers who refused to return to their desks full time.
But, those who don’t return to the office would become ineligible for promotions, an unidentified person with knowledge of the company’s policies told the Business Times.
Richard Dickson, CEO of Gap, appears to be placing a bet that more office collaboration could lead to a revival of the company’s apparel brands.
“Creativity thrives on in-person collaboration; innovation comes to life through live brainstorming,” an unidentified Gap spokesperson said in an email to the Business Times.
Between 2022 and 2023 Gap laid off workers in multiple rounds while shedding real estate, including selling its Athleta headquarters on Harrison Street.
Then after a major remodel, Gap reopened its 545,000-square-foot headquarters at 2 Folsom Street, with additional ground-level, branded stores.
Empty sidewalks in San Francisco and Oakland have led officials to push their workers to return to their official workplaces.
The firm’s back-to-office edict could help local restaurants, which have struggled since a pandemic shift to remote work led to nearly 37 percent office vacancy in San Francisco, according to CBRE, the highest in the nation.