Microsoft To Reopen Washington Headquarters

Microsoft will have a limited reopening of its Redmond and Seattle headquarters later this month starting March 29. This gradual approach will align with current local restrictions and capacity limits to keep workers safe.

“As we watch for progress against the virus in the region and continue to evaluate our guidance, employees who work at Redmond work sites or nearby campuses have the choice to return to those facilities or to continue working remotely, and also have the flexibility to do a mixture of both,” said Kurt DelBene, head of corporate strategy at Microsoft.

This reopening is stage four of the company’s six-stage strategy. Stage four, also referred to as a soft opening, will allow more employees back to the office. Stage five will open offices with restrictions and stage six will be a full reopening without restrictions.

Microsoft is also focusing on providing hybrid work arrangements moving forward, mainly due to the increased demand for flexible and remote working from its employees. 

According to Microsoft’s research, 73% of workers want to continue with flexible remote work policies in the future. That is why the company is exploring new ways to use its technology in order to bridge the gap between remote and in-person work.

“We know there are thousands of ways of working – in the last year our employees have shown what is possible – and we believe that flexibility is essential to maintaining work-life balance,” said DelBene.