Meta's stricter RTO stance risks more unrest amid frequent policy changes, leadership expert says

• Meta could have a battle on its hand when it comes to RTO.
• There have been many changes at Meta and the RTO stance may cause more unrest, an expert told CNBC.

Meta's stance on remote work shows it's talking tough, but given that other tech companies have faced a backlash over RTO directives, it's unlikely that Meta will have an easier ride.

In a note posted on Meta's internal forum earlier this month and seen by Insider, the company's head of human resources, Lori Goler, told workers that those who do not comply with the company's return-to-office policy may face consequences.

Goler said that all employees "assigned to an office" and not approved for fully remote work would be required to come into the office or participate in in-person work at least three days a week from September 5. The policy was first announced in June.

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The new policy could be disruptive for Meta staff and affect trust within the company, according to one expert.

Heidi K. Gardner, program chair of Harvard Law School's Sector Leadership Master Class, told CNBC the number of policy changes at Meta over a short period was likely to cause a "huge amount of distrust in leadership and the institution." The company has faced many difficulties in recent months, during which 20,000 workers were laid off.

Mandates to work in the office have been generally unpopular with employees. The majority of US workers employed in fully remote roles would be willing to take a pay cut rather than return to the office, a recent poll from The Washington Post and Ipsos found.

Gardner said the impact on staff morale was "not surprising," adding that trust and transparency are vital to good leadership. "Establishing trustworthiness is an essential part of being a leader, and it takes empathy to create that trust," Gardner told CNBC.

Representatives for Meta did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside normal working hours.

Have you been impacted by Meta's return to office policy? Contact this reporter at bnolan@insider.com.