In August, it was reported that Microsoft was planning to mandate its employees back to the office "at least" three days a week as soon as January 2026 . (Employees currently can work remotely "half" of the workweek.)

Now, according to an internal email sent to Microsoft staff on Tuesday, the company has finalized its plans and is issuing a return-to-office (RTO) mandate in three phases, beginning at the end of February 2026, according to Business Insider .

"In the AI era, we are moving faster than ever, building world-class technology that changes how people live and work, and how organizations everywhere operate," reads the email from Microsoft HR chief Amy Coleman. "If you reflect on our history, the most meaningful breakthroughs happen when we build on each other's ideas toge

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