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Microsoft Sets Three-Day Office Requirement Starting in Puget Sound in February 2026

Microsoft says in-person time is needed to speed collaboration on AI products, with exceptions open until September 19.

A sign is seen at the Microsoft headquarters on July 3, 2024 in Redmond, Washington.
Image
A pedestrian bridge leading into Microsoft’ s east campus is seen from the air on Aug. 6, 2025, in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft will require Puget Sound- area employees to work in the office three days per week next year. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times/TNS)
Microsoft wants its employees to be present in the office for a certain number of days.

Overview

  • An internal memo sets a company expectation of at least three days in the office, beginning February 23, 2026 for employees within 50 miles of a Puget Sound–area office.
  • Employees may request an exception by September 19, including cases where no teammates, stakeholders or clients sit at the assigned office or where commutes are unusually long or complex.
  • Customer-facing roles such as account management, consulting and field marketing are identified as exempt from the baseline requirement.
  • Business units can go beyond the three-day minimum, with reports indicating some teams may require four or five days on site.
  • Leadership states the shift is not intended to reduce headcount after roughly 15,000 layoffs earlier in 2025, and timelines for other U.S. locations and international rollout will be announced in 2026.