Microsoft is reopening its Washington and Bay Area offices to employees, visitors and guests on Feb. 28, according to a blog post Monday. The company said that beginning on that day, workers have 30 days to "make adjustments to their routines and adopt the working preferences they’ve agreed upon with their managers."
In September 2021, the company stopped setting a back-to-office date entirely and said it wouldn't reopen until COVID-19 was no longer "a significant burden." Microsoft said the majority of residents in King County, where most Washington state employees live, are now completely vaccinated against COVID-19, and hospitalizations have declined in the area.
The company said its other locations around the U.S. will also reopen soon "as conditions allow."
Microsoft was one of the first big employers to shut down offices in March 2020 and had adopted a hybrid approach to work since. The company said it still embraces hybrid work, and employees can still request to adjust their work site, location or hours even while offices reopen.
In the blog post, Chris Capossela, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said Microsoft will continue to keep an eye on local health data in all of its locations and "adjust course if necessary. "As we navigate this new phase of work, we’ll continue to take a data-driven approach to decision making that follows the guidance of public health authorities," Capossela wrote.
At the moment, Meta is planning to reopen its offices at the end of March, while Apple, Google and other big tech companies have not announced new return dates.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE