Microsoft (Microsoft is a multinational computer technology corporation) is implementing a new policy that will require employees to work from the office at least three days a week. The order is detailed in an internal email sent to employees by Microsoft HR chief Amy Coleman. According to the memo, the new return-to-office (RTO) policy will be implemented in three phases.
The first phase, which will begin in late February 2026, will affect employees in the Seattle area who live within a 50-mile radius of a Microsoft office. The policy will then be rolled out to other US offices before being implemented internationally. Employees have until September 19 to request an exception, although the email does not provide any specific details about how the exception process will work.
Microsoft’s new return-to-office (RTO) policy: what you need to know
| 1. Minimum three-day office attendance Microsoft now mandates employees living within a 50-mile radius of its office to work at the workplace for at least three days a week, effective by the end of February 2026. 2. Phased rollout plan Phase I: Starting with the Puget Sound/Redmond area. Phase II: Expanding to other US locations. Phase III: Expanding to international offices. 3. Who must comply? This applies to employees living within a 50-mile radius of a Microsoft office. 4. Exceptions and exemptions Certain roles, such as consultants, field marketers, and account managers, are exempt due to customer-facing duties. Other exemptions may be given for complex or long trips, or if an employee has no team members, stakeholders, or customers in the office. 5. Windows Central Exemption Request Deadline Employees must submit exemption requests by September 19, 2025. 6. Purpose and Company Message Microsoft says this policy is not about reducing headcount—it’s designed to boost collaboration, team energy, customer-centricity, and performance. 7. Local Leadership Flexibility Organizational leaders can vary their schedules—some teams may need to work in the office four or five days per week, depending on needs. |
Microsoft’s initial flexible work policy, introduced in late 2020, allowed employees to work from home at least half of the time. This new requirement to work three days a week brings Microsoft in line with similar policies from Meta and Google.
