If Instagram gave the world anything, it’s the idea that life can be built – and broadcast – from a couch, a kitchen bench or a bedroom floor.
But Adam Mosseri is done with that. The Instagram chief has told most US staff it’s time to get off the sofa and back to their desks, with a full five-day office return kicking in from 2 February.
In a memo titled “Building a Winning Culture in 2026,” seen by Business Insider, Mosseri said the move is designed to make Instagram “more nimble and creative” as competition tightens.
“I believe that we are more creative and collaborative when we are together in-person,” he wrote.
“I felt this pre-COVID and I feel it any time I go to our New York office where the in-person culture is strong.”
The directive applies to staff in US offices with assigned desks, with limited flexibility baked in for ad-hoc work-from-home days. Remote-only employees aren’t affected.
Meeting shake-up and product overhaul
Mosseri has also taken a scalpel to Instagram’s meeting culture, declaring that every six months, all recurring meetings will be wiped out and reinstated only if “absolutely necessary.” Employees are being encouraged to actively decline meetings that fall over focus blocks.
“I want most of your time focused on building great products, not preparing for meetings,” he wrote – a line already doing the rounds inside Meta offices.
He’s also pushing for “more demos, less decks”, telling teams that prototypes should become the default for product overviews.
“Prototypes allow us to establish a proof of concept and get a real sense for social dynamics, and we use them far too infrequently,” Mosseri argued.
Faster decisions, harder year ahead
To keep execution moving, Mosseri has introduced a more formal “unblocking” process with weekly priorities meetings where he will sign off on stalled decisions.
If he’s away, his leadership team will be delegated to act on his behalf.
“2026 is going to be tough, as was 2025,” he wrote, adding that he is “excited about our momentum and our plans for next year”.
Ultimately, Mosseri says the reset is about strengthening Instagram’s identity at a moment when the platform’s cultural power is being challenged.
“These changes are going to meaningfully help us move Instagram forward in a way we can all be proud of – with creativity, boldness, and craft.”
The message is equal parts rallying cry and reality check: if Instagram wants to stay on top, it needs fewer Zoom tiles, more prototypes – and a whole lot more face time.