Minimize home offices, or get fired: IBM forces managers to stay in their offices

This is a machine translation of an article from our American colleagues at Business Insider. Automatically translated and reviewed by an editor.

IBM wants its managers to work less from home in order to keep their jobs.

The tech giant requires all of its US managers to be in an office or on-site with a client at least three days a week, according to an internal memo. Bloomberg Present. The memo, dated January 16, said the company would use badge data to “evaluate individual attendance.”

A person familiar with the new requirements told Bloomberg that employees must live within 50 miles of an IBM office or client location.

According to the memo, employees must complete preparations for the transition by August. Employees who cannot meet this requirement or are unable to find remote jobs will be asked to “disconnect from IBM,” the memo said.

Just two days of home office

An IBM spokesperson confirmed the contents of the memo to Bloomberg, adding that the company is focused on creating a work environment that balances flexibility and personal interaction.

“Consistent with this approach, we require U.S. CEOs and HR managers to be in their offices at least three days a week,” the spokesperson told Bloomberg.

This is new for IBM. In May, IBM CEO Arvind told Krishna BloombergHe will not force his employees to return to the office. However, Krishna said at the time that remote workers were losing out when it came to promotions.

“In the short term, maybe you can be just as productive, but your career will suffer. Maybe moving into a different role is less likely because no one is observing it in a different context,” Krishna told Bloomberg in May.

“It will be more difficult,” he continued, “not impossible, but perhaps much more difficult.”

IBM representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider outside normal business hours.