Microsoft Updates RTO Policy: 3 Days In Office
Microsoft has updated its return-to-office expectations. In a blog post published on September 9, 2025, Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, announced that employees will be required to work from the office three days per week starting in 2026.
The new policy replaces Microsoft’s hybrid arrangement, which since April 2022 required employees to spend 50% of their time in the office.
Here is everything you need to know about Microsoft’s return to office plan.
Microsoft’s Return To Office: Current Policy
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Microsoft’s RTO Timeline
January 19, 2021: Delayed indefinitely
“Microsoft isn’t planning to fully reopen its US offices until at least January 2021. Sources familiar with the company’s plans tell The Verge that Microsoft has selected January 19th, 2021, as the earliest possible date for its US offices to be open for employees.”
March 29, 2021: Delayed indefinitely
“Microsoft is going to start bringing some of its Seattle-area employees back to the office next week, just over a year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a radical shift to remote work. The Redmond, Wash.-based tech giant revealed more plans Monday for its hybrid workplace model as well as learnings from an extensive study on the trends around such a work style.”
July, 2021: Delayed April 3, 2021 until September
“Microsoft is joining the chorus of tech companies pushing their office re-openings to late 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic potentially winds down. The Verge has confirmed a Business Insider report that Microsoft has delayed its full reopening from July to at least September 7th.”
September 7, 2021: Delayed August 3, 2021 until October
“Microsoft is delaying the full reopening of its offices — the company’s ‘Stage 6’ phase of its hybrid workplace plan — until September 7th at the earliest. This marks a delay from its originally planned July window.”
October 4, 2021: Delayed indefinitely
“Microsoft Corp. is scrapping plans to fully reopen offices by Oct. 4, saying it can no longer give a date for returning to work because the pandemic is too unpredictable.”
February 28, 2022: Microsoft’s optional return-to-office date for 50% of the time
“That was one of the questions raised by the tech giant’s announcement Monday that it will fully reopen its Washington state offices, including its Redmond headquarters, starting Feb. 28. The company says it will offer flexibility but expects most employees to be back in the office at least 50% of the time.”
April 4, 2022: Microsoft’s mandatory return-to-office date for 50% of the time
“The Redmond tech giant, which has probably gamed out the back-to-office challenge as carefully as any organization, says the stream of workers coming back to its own offices has grown steadily since April 4, when the company began requiring work to be in person at least 50% of the time unless employees have permission from their managers.”
Sep 9, 2022: 3 days/week starting in February of 2026
View All Return To Office Plans For The Fortune 500
Every month, we update every Fortune 500 company’s return-to-office policy. You can download the Fortune 500 RTO spreadsheet below.
RTO news & sentiment by company: Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Bank Of America, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo |
