#Microsoft will allow employees to stay remote permanently

Microsoft is the latest name in Big Tech to tell its workforce not to worry about coming back to the office.

The software giant has reportedly told its employees to feel free to work from home forever, even when its offices open back up.

Under its new “hybrid workplace” guidance, employees will be allowed to spend less than half their working hours out of the office, and can receive approval from their managers to stay remote permanently.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged all of us to think, live, and work in new ways,” Microsoft said in a memo viewed by The Verge. “We will offer as much flexibility as possible to support individual workstyles, while balancing business needs, and ensuring we live our culture.”

Those workers who opt to stay home even when things open back up will give up their assigned desks, and will work in common spaces if they decided to pay the office a visit.

Microsoft’s memo comes almost five months to the day after Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told employees that those whose jobs permit it will be allowed to work remotely forever — even after the coronavirus pandemic is over.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg also told workers earlier this year that certain employees will be able to work from home on a full-time basis, and said that as much as half of the social-networking giant’s workforce could be remote within the next five to 10 years.

Like Facebook, Microsoft employees who opt to work remotely will have their pay adjusted depending on what part of the country they live in. The Redmond, Wash.-based company will, however, pay for any home office products its remote employees need.