Microsoft gets ready to reopen Washington, Bay Area offices later this month
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)
said on Monday that it would reopen offices in Washington state and the San Francisco Bay Area at the end of this month, citing high vaccination rates and testing procedures in the regions.
As part of the announcement, Chris Capossela, Microsoft Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, said the offices would start to open on February 28. From then, employees would have 30 days to adjust their routines and adopt their schedules after they've been agreed upon by their managers.
"Reaching this stage allows us to fully open our facilities to employees, visitors and guests. All campus services will return, including the Connector ride-share option for employees in the Puget Sound area," Capossela wrote in the blog post. "Additionally, weâre pleased to be joining other area businesses welcoming back more employees in the coming weeks."
In September 2021, Microsoft postponed its return to the office, scheduled for October 4, impacting the plans of more than 103,000 employees, according to CNBC. 
"As we navigate this new phase of work, weâll continue to take a data-driven approach to decision making that follows the guidance of public health authorities," Capossela continued. 
"Weâre maintaining a close watch on local health data in every area where Microsoft has a physical presence, and weâll adjust our course if necessary. Weâve learned a lot about working remotely in the last two years and weâre fortunate to have the tools to continue doing so if needed."
Capossela also said that Microsoft's other U.S. locations would "follow suit as conditions allow."
Not all employees will return to the office full time, however. The blog post highlighted Microsoft's hybrid model, which the tech giant said "embraces schedule flexibility as standard for most roles and provides employees with the opportunity to determine how and where they work best, while making sure an individualâs plans align to the team agreements set with their manager."
Earlier this month, Microsoft unveiled Open App Store principles it seeks to integrate as it looks for approval from regulators around the world for its pending Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) acquisition.