In September, Ron Telemarque confronted a pivotal career decision following new directives from Paramount Skydance leadership. As senior manager of deal finance strategy, he had operated under a hybrid work model for much of 2023, commuting to the Manhattan office two to three days each week. But with new CEO David Ellison's announcement in early September mandating a full return to the office effective January, Telemarque was forced to reassess his situation within an 11-day window.
Telemarque and his wife, parents to a four-year-old daughter, had structured their lives around his hybrid schedule. Their Stamford residence, leased since 2020, matched the rhythms of his twice-weekly commute despite the 90-minute one-way travel time including train segments and walking. The division of childcare duties was manageable: Telemarque oversaw drop-offs and pickups on his office days, while his wife, a full-time remote marketing director, took charge on his remote days.
However, Ellison’s September 4 memo imposed an ultimatum to employees: either return full-time to the office five days a week starting January or accept severance by September 15. Approximately 600 Paramount employees accepted this severance offer. Ellison emphasized the importance of "in-person collaboration" as vital to the company’s culture and success under its post-merger direction.
This policy shift abruptly complicated Telemarque’s personal and professional equilibrium. Extending office attendance from two or three days up to five threatened to significantly alter his daily life. With commutes already lengthy, adding two extra office days posed concerns about reduced time with his daughter, especially given occasional evening work commitments. He noted, "For me to be at the office, that means I’m going to get up early, probably not see my kid, and then when I come back, they’re probably in bed."
The increased childcare burden would likely fall more heavily on his wife, and though her remote position offered flexibility, there was uncertainty whether she might also face future in-office demands. Moreover, relocating closer to Manhattan surfaced as a possible, though disruptive, option to mitigate commuting time; such a move entailed breaking their existing lease, navigating new housing arrangements, and transferring their daughter to a different school environment.
Professionally, Telemarque expressed unease about Paramount’s new leadership approach. Despite earning a promotion under a hybrid work arrangement, the company’s shift to strict in-office attendance challenged his sense of flexibility and progression. With the severance offering two months’ pay and only days to decide, he found the timeline insufficient to fully recalibrate. In his own words, "I didn’t have enough time. So my best bet was to take the package." He continued working through October before formally departing.
Since leaving, Telemarque has focused on seeking new roles in media and entertainment strategy, finance, and distribution. He prioritizes remote or hybrid positions but remains open to in-office roles, provided the commute is reasonable and compensation appropriate. While his job search has introduced financial pressures and networking challenges, he reflects that despite the difficult circumstances, exiting Paramount was the optimal choice available. He remarked, "I feel good about my decision, but the predicament I was in was unfortunate. If I had had a better option, would I have made it? Yes. But that was the best outcome."
Telemarque’s experience exemplifies the complexity faced by many professionals at large companies like Amazon, JPMorgan, AT&T, and Microsoft, where rollback of remote work arrangements is prompting employees to reconsider career paths, personal priorities, and living situations. As corporate leaders emphasize in-person collaboration post-pandemic, employees must weigh commute demands and work-life balance against job continuity.