#a16z co-founder pushes for federal employee return to office#

a16z co-founder Marc Andreessen recently stated on a podcast that the U.S. government's Efficiency Department (DOGE) is planning to push for an increase in the number of days federal employees work in the office. Currently, federal office buildings in Washington, D.C. are only averaging a 25% occupancy rate. He pointed out that many federal employees are only coming into the office one to two days a month, with some even going two months without setting foot in the office. Andreessen questioned whether this model is befitting of the federal employee identity and highlighted that the DOGE has put forward "innovative ideas" for cutting government spending and streamlining regulations. He believes that the current prevalence of remote work presents a challenge to work efficiency and questioned whether the president has the authority to mandate a return to office for federal employees. Previously, Trump advisors Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy had suggested cutting $2 trillion in spending through reducing government waste, but these plans are still in the suggestion phase. Reports show that only 6% of federal employees regularly work in the office, with Musk further stating that the percentage of employees working full-time in the office could be as low as 1% after excluding security and maintenance personnel. Andreessen also stated that he is a "volunteer without pay" for the DOGE, supporting Trump after the Biden administration cracked down on cryptocurrencies.