Microsoft will fully reopen its offices in Washington state by the end of this month
Microsoft finally seems set to reopen its facilities in Washington state.
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What you need to know
Microsoft will fully open its facilities to employees, visitors, and guests as part of a transition to the final phase of its hybrid workplace model. The shift comes in large part due to high vaccination rates in King County, which is where the majority of Washington-based Microsoft employees live, and advances in treatment for COVID-19. Microsoft’s move will take effect on February 28, 2022.
As part of the transition, Microsoft employees will have 30 days to adjust to the working preferences they’ve established with their managers. These setups could include remote work, hybrid work, or in-office work, depending on what’s been agreed to.
All services on Microsoft campuses will return as well, such as the Connector ride-share option for any staff based near Puget Sound.
Microsoft’s Chris Capossela outlined the process in ablog post. He explained that Microsoft will be able to make this shift due to high vaccination rates and advances in medical treatment for COVID-19. 83.8% of King County residents that are eligible for vaccination have completed their vaccine course. 91.6% of eligible people in King County have had at least one dose of the vaccine. Those figures are for all King County residents, not Microsoft employees in King County.
“We know there’s not a singular solution to how people work best, which is why we believe flexibility should be at the forefront of our evolving hybrid workplace,” said Capossela. “Our approach to hybrid embraces schedule flexibility as standard for most roles and provides employees with the opportunity to determine how and where they work best, while making sure an individual’s plans align to the team agreements set with their manager.”
Microsoftinitially planned to reopen its offices in July 2021, but the pandemic evolved since that schedule was introduced. Microsoft has sincepushed back its plans to reopenseveral times. Now, the company is set to move forward with its transition to open facilities by the end of this month.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
