..slackers, all of you. /s
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@1a - That’s the one!
It serves as an objective business standard to define “remote”.
@19x Pretty sure I know what you are referring to but the one i’m thinking of is all about whether company needs to reimburse for travel and lodging.
How does that apply here or MS for salaried employees?
An objective business standard per IRS guidelines.
Interesting that I just saw this in a Microsoft job posting. Sound familiar?
Starting January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees who live within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S. or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S., country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.
@11w that you comic book man?
the campus would be one he-l of a retirement community
The buildings were not zoned for nor designed to be residential condominiums. This suggestion would be unworkable. Try again.
finally some innovative ideas!
@tm This is kind of a side argument to what you just brought up.
If SAS sees no hope for selling the business or going public, the campus would be one he-l of a retirement community. The gym is there, pharmacy, medical, pickleball courts. It would be an easy switch.
It would also be easy to offer some incentives for existing employees to simply enroll into the new community (at a steep discount).
Given aging trends in the US, this would be way more profitable than trying to compete in the software space.
So you think that ship has sailed regarding applying for full remote? Policy states that you need to "demonstrate how working remotely enhances your ability to deliver high quality work while strengthening collaboration with your team" blah blah blah. Half my team is remote already.
Are they really going to enforce the 50 mile distance?
@vy I got a chuckle and also fit the category. With that said I’d gladly put myself head to head against whatever young punk posted it.
"... by having grandpas shuffling around ..."
Got a chuckle out of this (and mind you, I fit the category).
What is the goal here? Find out who really needs hybrid vs remote and pack the true hybrid further into less buildings? Get some people to leave voluntarily? Drum up cafe business? Make all the new kids on campus not feel as lonely by having grandpas shuffling around 3 days a week?
@qe BH is not. That is JP.
is BH the Televangelist, or is that a moniker for someone else? ideas??
@kv Thankfully we ignored this stupid expectation and held in-person team meetings. And what do you know .. the remote member SURVIVED! Gasp!!
A 20+ year principal here working well over the minimal required hours each week. This edict from the king has hurt. I was coming in two days a week and working extra hours on week days and weekends because of the saved commute time. Now it has to be three and on top of that it has to be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The reasons given were non-sensical and not based on data. Seems like fear from the top to me. Ultimately this boils down to upper management flexing their muscle and giving the middle-finger to the employees. I'll continue to do my job but they have lost me as a loyalist.
@ks expectation not suggestion
"Unless the policy on meetings being in teams if even a single team member is remote ..."
We had a remote team member, but thankfully ignored this outrageously stupid policy.
The intensity of the Televangelist’s radiance decreases according to the Inverse Square Law. You must be present, captive, and close to experience his full aura of awesomeness.
For a peak experience, kneel at his feet and gaze upwards in glorious wonder as he draws on the whiteboard or recounts a personal story. True Believers who repeat this practice daily, over many years may experience rapture and the ultimate in career salvation.
Unless the policy on meetings being in teams if even a single team member is remote, I don't see the point of going in another day. Most of my meetings are virtual from my office anyways
My best moments at SAS were in the gym 😂!
The televangelists weekly sermon indicated his best moments at SAS have been in hallways and at a whiteboard, so this is why we need to come into the office another day a week. Doesn't matter if the rest of your team is remote and live in other states, get your azz in the office!
@f6 What does commuting expense have to do with working remote and not commuting ever?
Lots of companies have a 50 mile radius policy. Again, it’s from IRS language relating to commuting expenses.
The companies that are Draconian about this also su-k to work at.
@af
A 'must be more than 50 miles away' policy seems to be new as of May (I am among the herd that took that package). When did it get enacted?
An April Fools joke?
No Return To Office (RTO) mandate is going to revive the orchestrated and collaborative environment that existed years ago (you know, the one that built the company) no matter how many in-person meetings are held by ineffective and ignorant management.
The old man hates remote work, always has. He didnt build his fancy campus for you to sit at home and not marvel. Maybe he figures with the terrible economy and job market its time to turn the sc--ws.
Isn't this generally what the existing policy is? It wasn't so much about getting rid of people as making sure hybrid people get to keep their office. I remember we were supposed to badge in 2 days per week or we were supposed to switch to being remote (and I only lived 5 miles away).
"Wonder what is motivating this?"
Probably hurt feelings.
The decree is specifically addressed to hybrid workers. While not clear, I would expect that would be people who still have an office. Those who went remote no longer have an office on campus.
The 50 miles seems like an IRS definition—I’ve seen this value and similar wording before in IRS publications regarding the payment of mileage expenses traveling from home to work.
@a1 Reduce headcount via voluntary attrition instead of yet another layoff that raises more eyebrows.
“Glad I’m remote, no change.”
Go read the flexible work policy that says fully remote should only be for employees that live 50+ miles from a SAS site.
Y'all are next.
Having seen similar decrees at other tech companies, I’d guess the motivation might be:
low office attendance for current hybrid workers, so they could be weeding out offices to further reduce building usage
voluntary attrition before involuntary layoffs being
"This isn’t a change"
Really? I guess you mean not a recent change? When did it go from minimum of 2x/week to 3x/week?
Glad I’m remote, no change.
This isn’t a change, just a statement that someone cares about this now. Like others I wonder about the motivation?
Minimum of 3x/week in the office required starting April 1st.
Was something sent out? I’m not in R&D but I haven’t heard anything