600 People Quit This US Company After Return To Office Order

In a major corporate shake-up, about 600 employees at Paramount Skydance have resigned after being asked to return to office five days a week. According to company disclosures filed on Monday and reported by Fortune magazine, hundreds of staff members chose to accept CEO David Ellison’s buyout offer, a move that will reportedly cost the entertainment giant around $185 million.

David Ellison’s Buyout Offer

Following the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance Media in August 2025, newly appointed CEO David Ellison implemented a strict return-to-office policy. Under this directive, remote employees were told to either resume full-time in-office work or accept severance pay.

Explaining the decision in a company-wide memo, Ellison stressed the importance of face-to-face collaboration in building a strong and creative workplace culture.

“I believe that in-person collaboration is absolutely vital to building and strengthening our culture and driving the success of our business. Our people are the key to winning, and being together helps us innovate, solve problems, share ideas, create, challenge one another, and build relationships that will make this company great,”
Ellison wrote in the memo obtained by sources.

He further elaborated on the value of in-person learning experiences that virtual platforms cannot replicate.

“As I said during our town hall, some of the most formative moments of my life happened in rooms where I was a fly on the wall, listening and learning. I’ve never seen that happen on Zoom,” Ellison continued.

“Being together in-person isn’t just about showing up it’s about actively engaging with the business, supporting one another and the team’s efforts, and contributing to our shared momentum.”

600 Employees Choose To Leave

Approximately 600 employees across Paramount’s Los Angeles and New York offices mostly at vice-president level and below opted for the buyout, according to the company’s filings. The mass resignations will result in a $185 million payout in severance packages.

The filings described the move as part of the company’s ongoing restructuring efforts, noting that the costs were “associated with actions to align the business around our strategic priorities.”

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