IBM Software has joined the likes of Amazon, Meta, Google, and Zoom in mandating that its employees return to the office. The company will require most workers from its software division to come in at least three days per week.

Why it matters: Unlike other technology giants who are only focusing on getting US-based workers to physically show up to work, IBM Software will require all global employees who are within 50 miles of an office to comply. Currently, just 1 in 4 of the company’s employees are working in the office. However, by October IBM expects that number to rise to 3 in 4.

• “It is vital to our culture and our shared goals – tripling development output, building winning products, and winning new clients – that we spend more meaningful time together, in person,” wrote Kareem Yusuf, senior VP for product management, and Dinesh Nirmal, senior VP for products, in an internal blog last week.

• IBM will be appointing on-site support employees called “Software Executive Focals” to assist in making the return-to-office shift as smooth and quick as possible.

• Momentum is speeding up across the industry around bringing workers back into the office, and CEOs are not taking no for an answer. In a recent announcement by Amazon for example, CEO Andy Jassy said “It’s probably not going to work out for you,” when referring to employees who refuse to come back in. Those who do not comply may not be missed in IBM’s case, with the CEO Arvind Krishna picturing close to 30% of roles at the company being automated or replaced by AI over five years.

Go Deeper —> IBM Software mandates in-office work for employees living within 50 miles – TechSpot