Microsoft to bring workers back to office

US tech giant Microsoft is reopening its Washington and Bay Area offices to employees_ visitors and guests on Feb. 28_ according to a blog post Monday.

The company said_ workers have 30 days to "make adjustments to their routines and adopt the working preferences they ve agreed upon with their managers."

In September 2021_ the company stopped setting a back-to-office date entirely and said it wouldn't reopen until COVID-19 was no longer "a significant burden." Microsoft said the majority of residents in King County_ where most Washington state employees live_ are now completely vaccinated against COVID-19_ and hospitalizations have declined in the area.

The company said its other locations around the U.S. will also reopen soon "as conditions allow."

Microsoft was one of the first big employers to shut down offices in March 2020 and had adopted a hybrid approach to work since. The company said it still embraces hybrid work_ and employees can still request to adjust their work site_ location or hours even while offices reopen.

In the blog post_ Chris Capossela_ executive vice president and chief marketing officer_ said Microsoft will continue to keep an eye on local health data in all of its locations and "adjust course if necessary. "As we navigate this new phase of work_ we ll continue to take a data-driven approach to decision making that follows the guidance of public health authorities_" Capossela wrote.

At the moment_ Meta is planning to reopen its offices at the end of March_ while Apple_ Google and other big tech companies have not announced new return dates.