Is Microsoft about to shake up its workforce again?
A new report this week by The Verge is adding to the speculation that the company is preparing to tighten its return-to-office policy, potentially requiring most employees at its Redmond headquarters to be on-site at least three days a week starting in January.
In response to an inquiry from GeekWire, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that the company is reviewing its flexible work guidelines, as it has in the past, but said no final decisions have been made.
An announcement could come in September, according to The Verge. This follows an earlier report by Business Insider along similar lines. Microsoft’s current hybrid work policy allows most employees to work remotely up to half the time without approval.
All of this comes at a sensitive moment for Microsoft’s workforce, which has been impacted by more than 15,000 job cuts globally since May — including more than 3,000 in Washington state — amid record capital spending on AI infrastructure.
An RTO policy change could further trim Microsoft’s workforce through attrition. Some employees may choose to leave rather than comply. Other companies that tightened RTO rules have seen a similar dynamic.
The potential shift would bring Microsoft more in line with Google and Meta, which generally require three days a week in the office. Amazon, the Seattle region’s other tech giant, brought employees back five days a week.
The reports come as Microsoft continues a multiyear expansion and redevelopment of its Redmond headquarters, where seven new East Campus buildings are open and more are under construction as part of a 17-building project designed in part to encourage in-person collaboration and productivity.
Under the potential new policy, employees who live within 50 miles of Microsoft’s Redmond campus would be required to work in the office at least three days a week, with some teams returning four or five days at the discretion of executive leaders, according to The Verge. Employees could still apply for exceptions.
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