Microsoft has just announced that, faced with the health crisis, there is no longer any question of reopening its face-to-face offices before September, at best.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many changes, in almost all sectors. The tech giants have not been spared, pushing them in particular to transform the way they work.

This involves in particular the organization of work in the office, face-to-face. The American giant Microsoft has just taken the decision to postpone the full reopening of its offices to September.

Microsoft postpones full reopening of its offices until September

Microsoft is joining the list of tech companies that are postponing the reopening of their offices to the end of 2021, until the Covid-19 pandemic finally slows down significantly.

The Verge confirmed a Business Insider report that announced that Microsoft had decided to postpone the full reopening of its offices until then scheduled for July to September 7, at best. The move was made in response to “ongoing consultation with health and data experts,” according to a spokesperson.

This because of the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic

In an email sent to employees, Executive Vice President Kurt DelBene said the postponement gave employees “extra flexibility” to prepare for the summer. He added that the directors of local offices also have the freedom to postpone their reopening if the situation in their region were to offer too great a risk.

The US tech giant is currently in a “slow reopening” phase, with a limited number of employees able to return to work in the office. About 20% of Microsoft’s total payroll was back in the office in March, including infrastructure in Redmond and Seattle.

This postponement is proof of the uncertainty that reigns vis-à-vis the pandemic. As vaccination campaigns intensify, the situation could be safer for office workers. But it is still too early to know whether enough of these workers will be protected by July. And the spread of variants could greatly complicate the situation.

Right now, Microsoft has already said it allows the majority of its employees to work from home for half the week, at most. The pressure to reopen the offices today has simply eased somewhat.

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