IBM Software has mandated that starting next week, workers will need to come in at least three days per week. The mandate will initially apply to those living within 50 miles of an IBM office, but it is expected to eventually apply to everyone.
The decision to bring employees back to the office was made by IBM Software’s Kareem Yusuf, senior VP for product management, and Dinesh Nirmal, senior VP for products. In an internal blog post, they said that the return to office is “vital to our culture and our shared goals.” They also said that the decision on which days people must come in will be left to managers and individual project teams.
The return to office mandate is likely to be met with resistance from some employees, who have enjoyed the flexibility of working from home during the pandemic. However, IBM is confident that the benefits of having employees in the office outweigh the costs.
“We believe that the best way to build great software is by working together in person,” Yusuf and Nirmal wrote. “We are committed to creating a workplace where our employees can do their best work.”
The company is also taking steps to make the transition as smooth as possible. For example, IBM is appointing “Software Executive Focals,” who will be on-site to support employees and help make the transition to the office a success.
The sources for this piece include an article in TechSpot.
