Soft Layoffs? IBM's Return To Office Warning Draws Mixed Reactions From Netizens

At a time when many companies have begun shifting back to the work from office or hybrid culture after nearly four years of remote mode, IBM has given a similar communication to its employees, but as an ultimatum.

IBM Warns Managers To Shift Near Office Or Leave

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IBM (International Business Machines Corp) has recently delivered a company wide ultimatum to managers who are still working remotely: shift to a location near office or leave the company.

A memo shared with IBM employees mid January has mandated that all US managers report to an office or client location at least three days a week, "regardless of current work location status." According to Senior Vice President John Granger's note, badge-in data will be shared with managers and human resources and utilized to "assess individual presence".

The memo mentions that individuals who work remotely and do not live close enough to commute to an IBM office must relocate by the beginning of August, with the exception of employees with special circumstances like military service or health concerns. That usually refers to a radius of 50 miles (80 kilometers).

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Also Read: When Ratan Tata Used IBM Office's Typewriter To Write His First Resume

IBM's Warning Draws Mixed Reactions From Netizens

IBM's strict warning has drawn mixed reactions from Netizens, with some X (formerly Twitter) users criticizing the rule, while some are fine with the American tech giant's move. Here are some of the reactions posted by X users following IBM's move.

The move is being as a soft layoff tactic by some netizens. For the unversed, soft layoffs usually refers to a company's tactics such as voluntary buyouts, early retirement offers, slowing down hiring or making changes in the company culture which may make it more demanding and stressful for employees.

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Also Read: IBM Claims It Has Saved 12,000 Hours In Last 18 Months By Using AI

IBM CEO Had Spoken In Favour Of Work From Office

ibm ceo arvind krishna/Reuters

In May last year, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna had sent out a message for his 260,000 employees: "Remote work can be hazardous to your career." The CEO of IBM had said he¡¯s not forcing any staffers to come into the office just yet, but those who don¡¯t would be hard-pressed to get promoted, especially into managerial roles. Click here to know more about the IBM CEO had said.

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