The American tech company Dell warns all employees on a remount that they will not be eligible for a promotion without attending the office.
And this statement was made ten years after the company switched to a hybrid format, notes Arstechnica.
This is a rather sharp reversal in the company’s policy, as it had previously stated something different.
«Don’t expect time spent in a traditional office to help build collaboration and create a sense of belonging to your organization», — said CEO Michael Dell at the time.
If you want a promotion — go to the office
Starting in May, Dell employees will either be on a remount or have a hybrid schedule
- The latter must come to the office at least 39 days a quarter, he confirmed, which equates to about three times a week
- Those who would like to never go to the office will not be «considered for promotion and will not be able to change roles»
It should be mentioned here that remote work has been one of the company’s corporate standards for quite some time. Between 10% and 15% of employees almost never showed up at the office.
This flexibility has allowed the company to become an attractive employer in the post-covid era. Now, they believe that «personal connections combined with a flexible approach are crucial to driving innovation and differentiating values».
What has changed at Dell?
Some experts say that this may be a reaction to the instability of the global economy. The reason for the policy change is the belief that if people physically work together, they will be able to perform their duties better.
At the same time, there is a more logical explanation Unnamed employees spoken to by journalists expressed concern that the upcoming policy is an attempt to force people to quit. In this way, Dell could save money on human resources without paying compensation.
The latest mass layoffs at Dell was in February 2023. At that time, 6,500, or 5% of the company’s employees, lost their jobs.