Microsoft is asking employees to return to the office three days per week and the measure is expected to come into effect early next year.
“We’ve looked at how our teams work best, and the data is clear: when people work together in person more often, they thrive,” said Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief people officer in a blog post. “With that in mind, we’re updating our flexible work expectations to three days a week in the office.”
Microsoft noted that this update is not about reducing headcount.
The U.S. tech giant will begin rolling out the return to office policy in three phases, starting with employees in the Puget Sound area in late February before expanding to other U.S. locations and then eventually globally.
“If you live within 50 miles of a Microsoft office, you’ll be expected to work onsite three days a week by the end of February 2026,” said Coleman.
However, some roles, such as account management, consulting, and field marketing will be exempt because they require flexibility to meet with customers or partners,” according to The Verge, which cited a company memo.
Employees will be able to apply for an exception by Sept. 19.
Employees may qualify for an exception if they do not have teammates, stakeholders, or clients at their assigned office or if their commute is “unusually long or complex, such as involving multiple transit modes,” the report added.
Coleman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella intend to discuss the return to office policy at the company’s internal Employee Town Hall on Thursday.
Some parts of Microsoft may even go beyond the minimum three-day policy. “Each business will do what is best for their team, which means some groups will deviate from our company-wide expectations,” said Coleman.