Flipkart ends work-from-home policy; says, 'Employees should come to the office five days a week'

Flipkart, the Walmart-owned e-commerce giant, has officially ended its work-from-home policy, asking all employees to return to the office five days a week.

The Walmart-owned company, which employs around 22,000 people, said the decision aims to bring teams together and reinforce collaboration after years of hybrid and remote work.

Flipkart confirms development

A Flipkart spokesperson confirmed the development, stating that the move aims to unify teams under one roof and sharpen their focus on common goals.

"At Flipkart, the vast majority of our employees and contractual and gig workforce, especially those in field roles, have always operated from their respective locations of work. In our corporate headquarters [Bengaluru], we have been pursuing a gradual return to the office (similar to pre-COVID levels) for the past year and have seen increased interactions, synergies and deeper collaboration across teams," a Flipkart spokesperson said.

"By returning to the office, we aim to foster a strong sense of community for new hires and existing employees, and a shared focus on our common goals."

End of remote work

The decision marks the end of a remote work era that began in 2020, when Flipkart—like many companies globally—adopted flexible work policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past year, however, the company began phasing out the arrangement, initially bringing senior staff back to the office before extending the mandate to all functions and levels.

The shift back to the office also comes at a pivotal moment for Flipkart as it prepares for an initial public offering (IPO), expected within the next 12 to 15 months. The company, valued at $36 billion, has already secured internal approvals to relocate its domicile from Singapore to India—a key step toward listing on domestic stock exchanges.

It is also reportedly strengthening its board and operational structure in anticipation of the public market debut.

What about Amazon and other companies?

Flipkart's move follows similar decisions by rivals across the e-commerce and quick commerce space. Amazon recently instructed employees to return to the office full-time, shifting its Bengaluru operations from the World Trade Centre to a new campus in Devanahalli.

Meesho, Blinkit, and Zepto have all adopted five-day in-office work weeks, while Swiggy remains the only notable holdout, retaining a hybrid policy that allows most teams to work remotely for part of the week.