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In a nutshell: While some companies have chosen to return workers to the office, others have decided to keep the post-pandemic status quo. It's a controversial topic that Microsoft wishes to avoid and has committed to remaining flexible so long as productivity doesn't suffer.
During a recent internal meeting, Microsoft Executive Vice President of Cloud and AI Group Scott Guthrie promised that the company does not plan to follow Amazon's lead in mandating workers back to the office five days per week. However, two vetted Microsoft employees who attended the meeting told Business Insider under conditions of anonymity that the vow comes with the condition that productivity doesn't decline.
It would seem a bit hypocritical if the Redmond giant eliminated remote work, considering it literally makes Teams – a software suite that enables and encourages companies to allow employees to work from home. However, the question of productivity is a big one that no one has answered satisfactorily.
On the one hand, companies generally don't make wide-sweeping changes unless the government mandates it (lockdowns) or the beancounters find the changes save or make the firm more money (productivity). On the other hand, you have employees saying they "feel" more productive at home, which seems weak as an argument but is one that resistant work-from-homes cite time after time.
Microsoft's senior director of IT, Keith Boyd, says remote work can be sustainable as long as it's done right.
"If you make the time to do it right, your employees will be more engaged, more productive, and more connected, even when they're miles away," Boyd wrote in an August blog post. "And they'll be far less likely to leave for a competitor who has a more sophisticated and flexible model than you do."
The remote model has advantages from both the employee's and employer's perspectives. For example, a company that covers daycare costs can save money with a remote work program, while the employee can reap the benefits of not having to commute daily.
Unfortunately, the risks and disadvantages of remote employees primarily lie on the company's shoulders. Loss of productivity due to workers taking care of personal business or even napping is a genuine concern. It's not surprising to learn that there are actual products that circumvent monitoring measures employers frequently use to be sure their employees are working while on the clock.
Meanwhile, there are not many disadvantages for the remote employee, which is probably the most contributing factor to workers fighting tooth and nail to stay out of the office. Protests and unionizing efforts are more prevalent post-pandemic, and much of the bellyaching relates to employers reversing stay-at-home mandates.
That said, Microsoft thinks it has the remote work dynamic figured out. We'll have to see if its reassurances about continuing with the model help keep its workers in line without direct supervision.