Microsoft, which introduced the Remote Work system from March 2020 due to the corona 19, announced that it will lift the blockade of its headquarters from March 29. In addition, while Microsoft generalized the remote work work for reopening the headquarters, it expressed its intention to introduce a hybrid work place along with the office work type.
On March 22, Microsoft sent an email to employees around the world in March last year through its official blog, indicating a plan to convert the entire employee working form to mandatory telecommuting, except when work is necessary in the field. As of March 2021, more than a year after working remotely, employees returned to Microsoft workplaces in 21 countries around the world, accounting for 20% of all employees. As a result, Microsoft announced on March 29 that it will begin shifting work at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and at a nearby campus.
It also offers a hybrid work place that provides additional support to employees who choose to return to work, while also providing support for employees who wish to work remotely. Employees are free to choose whether to go to work or continue working from home.
Microsoft’s Hybrid Workplace is implemented according to a plan divided for each pandemic situation, not the timing, based on the reflection that the impact of Corona 19 was too complex to establish a plan according to a specific timeline.
Specifically, the plan is divided into 6 stages: 1st stage closure, 2nd mandatory home work, 3rd stage home work is strongly recommended, 4th stage soft open, 5th stage limited open, and 6th stage open. Steps 1-5 are recommended to work remotely, and Step 6 refers to the condition that COVID-19 has been treated like seasonal flu. The reopening of the headquarters, scheduled for March 29, is still expected to be in the fourth phase.
Microsoft also unveiled the 2021 Work Trend Index, which summarizes the trends in how to work in 2020. Again, Microsoft summarizes the insights from the results of working from home for a year.
According to this, the first is that hybrid work cannot be avoided. 66% of senior positions and 73% of employees expect hybrid work to continue its flexible remote work system. Meanwhile, 67% of employees were found to want to increase face-to-face work after the epidemic converges.
Second, accelerate the spread of remote work tools. Microsoft Teams users increased by 148%. The number of emails launched in February 2021 increased 40.6 billion from the same month last year. The number of comments the average Microsoft Teams user chats a week has increased by 45%. Also, the use of many telecommuting tools has increased, with a 66% increase in the number of people working with office documents.
Third, the younger generation is in a particularly serious situation. Millennials and Generation Z are said to have a high percentage of people who say they are having trouble with their work.
Microsoft emphasized that with the remote work lesson for a year, we will no longer work together while being tied to time and space as before, instead we will abandon the long-standing stereotypes and change to a flexible working style. Related information can be found here.
Add comment