Key Takeaways
- Superhuman’s initial return-to-office mandate last year failed because few people showed up, and employees felt the office wasn’t worth the commute when it was mostly empty.
- This year, the company replaced the mandate with a voluntary “Ways of Working” program, which gives employees a wellness stipend based on their time in the office.
- Employees in the U.S. who come in two days a week receive $500 per quarter as a wellness stipend, while those who opt for five days can get up to $2,000 quarterly.
Superhuman, the startup behind AI productivity tools like Grammarly, is boosting office attendance by offering employees cash to come in, Business Insider reported.
In January, Superhuman launched its “Ways of Working” program, offering employees the option to work from the office two to five days a week. The company’s perks operate on a sliding scale: the more days in the office, the richer the benefits. These benefits are framed as wellness and lifestyle stipends rather than simple cash bonuses.
Employees in the U.S. who come in two days a week receive $500 per quarter as a wellness stipend, while those who opt for five days can get up to $2,000 quarterly. The money can cover commuter support, childcare costs, gym memberships, grocery delivery, cleaning services and other forms of day‑to‑day support that make office life easier, according to Business Insider.
The program is available across Superhuman’s global workforce of more than 1,500 employees and its eight hubs in North America and Europe. About 75% of employees near a hub have opted into the plan, with roughly one‑third of those choosing to come in four or five days a week. The strategy has dramatically increased daily office attendance by 57% since launch, Business Insider reported.
Ordering employees back to the office didn’t work
Superhuman initially tried a standard return‑to‑office mandate, requiring its engineering teams to come in two days a week starting in April 2025. Six months later, compliance was low, offices were empty, and employees said the trip wasn’t worthwhile because so few colleagues were present.
Chief People Officer Kenny Mendes described that attempt as having “failed,” with visible negative sentiment and little engagement, per Business Insider. The experience convinced leadership that simply ordering people back to the office would not create a vibrant or collaborative work environment.
“We were pulling teeth to get people in two days a week,” Mendes told Business Insider. “But could we get them to choose to come in five?”
Mendes reached out to behavioral scientist Jon Levy to try to figure out how to get more employees in the office. Levy advised him to make coming into the office more appealing than staying at home, forcing people to think about which option would work best for them.
Mendes and Levy hosted a fireside chat with employees to talk about how the workplace has changed and what the company needed. They then asked employees why they didn’t want to come into the office. Many said practical factors were in the way, like parking and desk setups. From these conversations, the “Ways of Working” program was born.
A key question for leadership was whether people would actually honor the schedules they chose. So far, employees are showing up about 85% of the time they committed to, which Mendes told Business Insider was surprisingly strong.
Designing a more social office
Beyond financial perks, Superhuman has also reworked the physical and social environment of its spaces. For example, the company shrunk desk tops from five to four feet to increase density, making it more likely that employees would see and interact with colleagues when they come in.
Offices also feature a free daily lunch and social hours, aiming to make in-person days feel more communal.
“I’ve been really shocked at how well it’s working,” Mendes told Business Insider.
Companies are increasingly turning to return-to-office mandates to promote in-office attendance. According to payroll company Lift HCM, 90% of large companies now have some form of RTO policy in place as of August 2025. Over 60% of workers would consider quitting if forced back to the office full-time, per recruitment agency Apollo Technical.
Key Takeaways
- Superhuman’s initial return-to-office mandate last year failed because few people showed up, and employees felt the office wasn’t worth the commute when it was mostly empty.
- This year, the company replaced the mandate with a voluntary “Ways of Working” program, which gives employees a wellness stipend based on their time in the office.
- Employees in the U.S. who come in two days a week receive $500 per quarter as a wellness stipend, while those who opt for five days can get up to $2,000 quarterly.
Superhuman, the startup behind AI productivity tools like Grammarly, is boosting office attendance by offering employees cash to come in, Business Insider reported.
In January, Superhuman launched its “Ways of Working” program, offering employees the option to work from the office two to five days a week. The company’s perks operate on a sliding scale: the more days in the office, the richer the benefits. These benefits are framed as wellness and lifestyle stipends rather than simple cash bonuses.
Employees in the U.S. who come in two days a week receive $500 per quarter as a wellness stipend, while those who opt for five days can get up to $2,000 quarterly. The money can cover commuter support, childcare costs, gym memberships, grocery delivery, cleaning services and other forms of day‑to‑day support that make office life easier, according to Business Insider.
