Three-day on-site policy begins for Puget Sound employees in February 2026
Microsoft unveiled new flexible working expectations on Tuesday that will mean employees will return to the office three days a week starting February 2026.
Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Microsoft, informed employees that a three-day on-site return will begin for those who live near a Microsoft office in the Puget Sound region of Washington state.
Amy Coleman has been named as one of the Top HR Executives and Leaders in the World. Read more here.
"If you live within 50 miles of a Microsoft office, you'll be expected to work on-site three days a week by the end of February 2026," Coleman said in a statemet on the Microsoft blog.
"If needed, you can request an exception by Friday, September 19."
Employees assigned to other offices in the US will receive the timeline of their return soon, according to Coleman.
For employees outside of the US, the CPO said they are planning for their office return in 2026.
"For some of you, this is not a change. For others this may be a bigger adjustment, which is exactly why we're providing time to plan thoughtfully," she said.
Not about reducing headcount
The changes come at Microsoft as Coleman pointed out data that employees thrive when they work together in person more often.
"Our goal with this change is to provide more clarity and consistency in how we come together, while maintaining the flexibility we know you value," she said.
"Importantly, this update is not about reducing headcount. It's about working together in a way that enables us to meet our customers' needs."
Microsoft adds to the growing list of organisations implementing office-return policies for employees. Companies such as Amazon and Paramount have also rolled out their return-to-office plans this year and next year.
Data from Cisco earlier this year revealed that 49% of employees across the world are now mandated to return five days a week.
Another 45% are currently under hybrid work and are asked to come on-site between one and four days a week.
Reception, however, is dependent on office environment, offerings, demographics, and personal circumstances, according to data from JLL.
The majority of employees (84%) who are happy about their workplace also feel positive about office attendance policies.
On the other hand, 48% of those who are not happy with their workplace feel negatively about these office-return mandates, it found.
