Estonian mobility platform Bolt is mandating a return to office for its global staff, with CEO Markus Villig criticising remote work practices he considers excessive, according to Fortune. 

Founded in 2013 as Taxify, Bolt initially focused on ride-hailing and has since expanded into short-term car rentals, ride-sharing, food delivery and e-scooter rentals, with over 150mn customers and 3mn driver and courier partners worldwide. 

In an internal email obtained by The Telegraph, Villig reportedly expressed frustration with employees working from remote locations like Bali, describing such arrangements as "disconnected" and indicative of overly "complacent" hiring policies. 

Villig noted that fewer than half of Bolt’s employees were working in-office at least two days per week, which he called a “disgrace,” adding, “We will stop the insanity of people working remotely from places like Bali. That is a vacation, not what we hired them to do."

A Bolt spokesperson confirmed to Fortune that the company will implement a hybrid work policy starting January 1, requiring staff to work in-office 12 days per month. Bolt’s move follows similar pushes by companies like Amazon, which have also adjusted remote work policies after the initial adoption of hybrid models during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, critics caution that a rigid approach may trigger resistance or impact morale, potentially affecting productivity and company performance.

Bolt has announced plans for an IPO in 2024, although it reported a €91.9mn loss on €1.7bn in revenue in 2023.