One of the longest “three weeks” in history is coming to an end.
Microsoft told employees this morning that after requiring employees to work from home for nearly two years, the company will fully reopen its Washington state facilities, including its Redmond headquarters, on February 28.
Chris caposela, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer, wrote in a post announcing the news this morning: “from this day on, employees will have 30 days to adjust their daily work and adopt the work preferences agreed with their manager.”.
“At this stage, we can fully open our facilities to employees, visitors and guests. All campus services will be restored, including the connector ride sharing option for employees in the Phuket Bay area,” he added
With the announcement, the company is entering the sixth and final stage of its mixed workplace policy, as shown in the previously released figure.
The high incidence rate of Capossela’s 2019 coronavirus disease in Jinxian, coupled with the decline in hospitalization and death in the state, and the testing ability of the local government, is in line with the government’s guidelines.
Microsoft and other large technology companies are often the leaders of other companies in formulating these policies. Caposella wrote that Microsoft is “happy to join enterprises in other regions and welcome more employees back in the coming weeks”
With the variation of coronavirus disease in 2019, it began to weaken in many parts of the country, which is the latest sign that the company has relaxed restrictions. Amazon employees will stop wearing masks last week.
Also this morning, Seattle based online travel giant Expedia group said it would implement its mixed work policy from April 4.
At present, the company’s office is open to employees who voluntarily vaccinate. The company said that with the update of the policy, its expectation is that “employees will spend at least 50% of their time in the office and work with their leaders according to the appropriate schedule.”
Expedia said employees still need to be vaccinated while working in the office.
Microsoft said it would provide employees with the flexibility to work with managers to find the best solution. The following are some of the company’s guidance to employees:
Workplace (physical space where you work, such as office, center, home, mobile): we recognize that some employees need to work on site, and some roles and businesses are better suited to work away from the workplace than others. However, for most positions, we believe that working from home (less than 50%) is the current standard – assuming that the manager and the team are consistent.
Working hours (employee’s working hours and days, such as the beginning and end of working days, full-time or part-time): flexibility in the work schedule is now considered the standard for most roles. Although part-time work still requires manager approval, our guidance is designed to promote an open dialogue between managers and employees on considerations.
Workplace (where you work, such as city and country): similarly, managers and employees can discuss and resolve role requirements, personal income tax, wages, expenses, etc.
Microsoft said employees need to be vaccinated to enter its U.S. buildings, but it has a program to accommodate those who have not been vaccinated due to medical conditions or religious exemptions.