The New Normal is '3 Days a Week'... The 3 Approaches of Big Tech Returning to the Office [Jjinbit]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Global big tech companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft (MS), and Twitter have gradually started reopening their office doors. After being closed for over two years due to COVID-19, employees can now return to their offices. These companies had attempted to resume office attendance late last year but retreated due to the Omicron surge. Now that the spread has been contained, they have removed masks and reopened their offices.

Looking at the announcements about companies returning to offices, a common point is the introduction of 'hybrid work.' Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the basic environment was to commute to the office to work, but through the experience of remote work, both management and employees have reached a consensus that it is possible to work productively in spaces other than the office. This means there is no need to go to the office every day.

Bloomberg recently reported that "the 'new normal' in San Francisco is going to the office three days a week." This is based on a survey of about 200 workers in the San Francisco Bay Area, home to Silicon Valley. In this survey conducted since last year, the percentage of respondents expecting to go to the office three days a week rose from 67% in June last year to over 80% in August-September, making it the most common response. The days expected for commuting are mainly Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

What about the hybrid work methods introduced by major big tech companies? They can roughly be classified into three types. First, as Silicon Valley workers predicted, designating specific days to go to the office three days a week; second, deciding the commuting schedule through discussions between management and employees; and third, keeping the office always open but allowing employees to freely choose whether to come in.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The company that most clearly represents the three-day-a-week commuting model is Apple. Starting from the 11th of next month (local time), Apple will begin with one day a week and gradually increase office attendance to up to three days a week by the end of May. Employees will work in the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and have the freedom to work remotely on Wednesday and Friday. The days are fixed to facilitate communication such as meetings. Additionally, there is an option to work remotely for up to four weeks per year. Apple CEO Tim Cook said, "We are doing our best to provide the support and flexibility needed for the next phase."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Google has also joined the three-day-a-week office attendance trend. Starting from the 4th of next month, Google will resume office attendance, but unlike Apple, the days to come to the office will be set to three days a week depending on the product and team roles. If remote work is needed afterward, employees can apply for permanent remote work or request adjustments to their work location. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai recently indicated that the future of work is flexible and that new ways can be developed to better satisfy people's careers and personal lives. This suggests that by operating hybrid work systems, companies may adjust work methods more flexibly depending on the situation.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Microsoft, which resumed office attendance last month, is a 'consultative type.' They have given autonomy to divide employees between remote work and office attendance according to each team's situation and adjust work accordingly. There is no fixed number of office days per week; employees choose the space where they can concentrate best while considering their team's circumstances. However, if the remote work ratio exceeds 50%, approval from a manager is required. Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela welcomed employees back to the office and said, "Over the coming months, we will cultivate a success mindset and create a new world of work environments that are good for everyone."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Finally, the company with the highest autonomy is Twitter. Twitter plans to open its office on the 15th. The space will be open, but whether to come to the office is up to each individual employee. This breaks the constraint of office attendance. While this complete flexibility is welcomed by employees, it also makes collaboration such as meetings more challenging. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal acknowledged that working apart creates more difficult situations but emphasized, "You can work wherever you feel most productive and creative. This includes permanent full-time remote work."

Although hybrid work combines remote and office work, and might seem uniform, a closer look reveals that each company’s approach is quite different. All companies have stated that since they are still in the testing phase, they will gradually modify and adjust their methods to increase work efficiency and employee satisfaction. It will be interesting to see which work method succeeds and what new work styles will emerge in the future.

Editor's Note[Jjinbit] is short for 'Jeong Hyunjin's Business Trend' and 'Real Business Trend,' a corner that showcases trends in corporate management such as organizational culture and HR systems. The emergence of the MZ generation, the expansion of remote work due to COVID-19, and digital innovation all require innovation in organizational culture. Based on analyses from major overseas institutions that have not received much attention so far, we will deliver fresh and differentiated information and perspectives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.