Disney Employees Petition Against Bob Iger’s Move to Return to the Office

Disney fans have welcomed back boomerang CEO Bob Iger to the company’s top executive position following the ousting of former CEO Bob Chapek in November 2022. Since Iger’s return, fans have largely been thrilled to have a leader at the healm who many feel understands the direction the company should be going in more than his predecessor.

And while Disney fans may have a wishlist of changes they’d like to see during Iger’s two-year contract, his main focus will be restructuring top positions within the company to better set up for future success and to find a suitable successor. Despite this, and the fact that fans have been mostly receptive of Iger’s changes so far, one major pressure point for some Cast Members and employees came up shortly after he returned to the company.

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In January 2023, we reported that Iger had sent an email requesting that hybrid employees of the Walt Disney Company should begin preparations to return to the office. Iger’s email specifically stated that “employees currently working in a hybrid fashion will be asked to spend four days on-site, targeting Monday through Thursday as in-person workdays.”

Affected employees immediately opposed the request, and at the time, many took to social media to share their frustrations. Now, as we approach the date when Iger had requested that employees be back in the office (March 1, 2023), those affected have begun circulating a petition fighting against the change.

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According to Deadline, nearly 2,300 Disney employees have signed the petition to keep their hybrid and remote work schedules as is, without making the move to at least four days in the office. Like many employees in similar roles outside of the company, those who oppose the return to office request believe that they are more productive and more efficient while working remotely.

At Disney, many of the affected employees work within divisions like ABC, 20th Century Studios, Marvel Studios, Hulu, Pixar and FX, which workers believe have continued to run effectively with remote workers for almost the past three years.

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Disney has not commented on the petition, and no information has come out to show that the company is reconsidering the return-to-office decision.

We at Disney Tips will continue to monitor updates on the Walt Disney Company and will report back with more information as we have it.