Intel Says Employees Must Return To the Office 4 Days a Week

New Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has mandated that employees return to the office four days a week starting September 1 to boost collaboration and decision-making. Tan also signaled upcoming job cuts and organizational changes, including a flatter management structure and fewer meetings. 'When we spend time together in person, it fosters more engaging and productive discussion and debate,' Tan wrote in a note to employees posted on Intel's website Thursday. 'It drives better and faster decision-making. And it strengthens our connection with colleagues.' Oregon Live reports: Intel factory workers and many researchers are already on site every day, in cleanrooms and labs. But Intel has thousands of employees in corporate roles who have spent at least part of their time working from home since the pandemic. The company adopted a 'hybrid-first' approach in 2021, allowing most employees the flexibility to work from home much of the time. More recently, it sought to have workers on site about three days a week.

'Adherence to this policy has been uneven at best,' Tan said Thursday. 'I strongly believe that our sites need to be vibrant hubs of collaboration that reflect our culture in action.' Intel is Oregon's largest corporate employer, with 20,000 employees in the state, so bringing workers back to the office will have a big impact and could set a benchmark for other organizations. On Thursday, Tan said he wants fewer and smaller meetings to free up employees to do their work. He also told employees to expect 'several months' of job cuts, but Tan didn't specify how many positions he plans to eliminate.

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