Last year, Microsoft told its employees it expected them to work in the office at least three days a week, and that requirement is now rising to four days a week for certain Xbox employees starting in February 2027.
According to a report from The Verge, which quotes Xbox’s chief people officer Jacinda Chislum Pearson from a recent internal memo, anyone who lives within a short distance of Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington will be asked to attend the office four days or more per week.
The memo notes that “thousands” of employees live within commuting distance:
“Starting February 1st, 2027, Xbox employees in Puget Sound who live within 50 commuting miles of Studio D are required to work from the office a minimum of four days a week.”
“We have thousands of Xbox employees within commuting distance of Redmond. Taking advantage of that proximity and working together in person makes it easier to review work, resolve issues, and make decisions without the burden of scheduling another meeting.”
“Starting February 1st, 2027, Xbox employees in Puget Sound who live within 50 commuting miles of Studio D are required to work from the office a minimum of four days a week.”
“We have thousands of Xbox employees within commuting distance of Redmond. Taking advantage of that proximity and working together in person makes it easier to review work, resolve issues, and make decisions without the burden of scheduling another meeting.”
As part of this, leaders are expected to also be present in the building to make the extra mandated time worthwhile, with the idea being to review work, solve problems and play games together to achieve “time well spent”.
There may be exceptions to the rule, such as in the case of “established in-office practices” at various Xbox studios. In general though, this marks a significant shift towards a more office-based focus for Xbox’s future.
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