Paramount asks staff about RTO thoughts; PNC tells employees to get back to the office full-time

Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from the last week and see what we can learn from them.

1. Paramount asks employees their views on RTO process survey

Paramount asked its employees back to the office in late 2025, but the media giant recently checked in with its workers to see how the process was proceeding. According to a piece by Business Insider, which obtained the company’s RTO survey, questions included queries about parking, seating with proximity to teammates, collaboration opportunities and whether the office environment is set up to support employee needs. In the survey, Paramount told its employees to provide contact information in the hopes of providing individual solutions.

“We want to know where there are challenges so we can contact you directpoly if needed to understand how to address your concerns.”

By asking employees how the RTO process is moving along and expressing a willingness to make adjustments based on employee needs, Paramount is communicating that it wants to make RTO as smooth as possible. However, with the non-anonymous nature of the survey, it’s worth considering whether the feedback will be as open and honest as it would be if the survey were anonymous. Additionally, Paramount should balance highlighting both positive and critical feedback when responses come in to balance the RTO narrative with the reality of the situation.

 2. PNC mandates employees back to the office as the CEO calls the bank an “in-office company”

PNC CEO Bill Demchak shared a memo with employees ordering them back to the office by May 4. The move corresponds with many other banks across the country that have been calling their employees back in full-time over the last year or so.

According to a memo obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Demchak informed employees that the move is an integral part of the bank’s employee culture.

“PNC has always been an in-office company. It’s not just how we operate — it’s part of our culture. We are a relationship-driven organization, and our strength lies in the connection we build with each other, our clients and our communities.”

Demchak’s statement frames RTO as a return to normalcy within PNC’s culture as opposed to a full reset after years of remote and hybrid work. In the memo, he says:

“Our world has changed and so has PNC. As we look ahead, it’s time to return to the way we work best: together, in person.”

Demchak positions the return to the office as integral to what makes up company culture and not a punitive measure for remote and hybrid workers. RTO processes are most effective when they’re embedded within the company’s culture, as this facilitates the creation of a unified plan to communicate the move.

3. Deloitte tells employees they’re getting new job titles

Deloitte alerted its employees that their job titles will change later this year as part of an effort to overhaul the American wing of the business. According to a report from Business Insider, the company will let employees know what specific changes are in store by the end of the month and will be implemented by June.

“We are modernizing our talent architecture to provide a more tailored experience reflective of our professionals’ broad range of skills and the work they do,” a Deloitte spokesperson told Business Insider.”

It’s also worth noting that the messaging mentioned to employees what would not change in the same communication as the things that would be shifting. By framing the title moves as a shift  the company took initiative on, as opposed to a response to external forces (like AI, as the Business Insider article mentioned), Deloitte maintains a sense of narrative control and can stay on top of employee perception of change. This seemingly small but impactful framing can shift that perception from one of an arbitrary change to a purposeful cultural shift.

4. How about some good news?

• A rare plant once thought to be extinct was rediscovered by a citizen scientist.
• A missing hiker in New Zealand was found alive after two weeks in the wilderness.
• A cat that went missing for four years was reunited with its owner.
• Ragan Training is an excellent place for communications professionals to find inspiration and valuable resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Have a great weekend comms all-stars!

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications.