CEO Michael Dell has asked the company's 100,000 employees to return to office full time by next month. What's behind the new RTO policy?

Dell Technologies expects all employees living within an hour of its offices to be at their desks five days a week beginning March 3.

Technically, Dell had already required its sales, manufacturing, and lab engineers to return to office. The email cites the “new speed, energy, and passion” from those teams as a reason for implementing it company-wide globally. For previously remote workers who don’t live near an office, Dell says they can continue to work remotely.

Dell is ending its remote and hybrid worker policy as staff living within an hour of a Dell office are expected to return to office five days a week.

A revised RTO mandate came into effect this time last year that specified in-office attendance of 39 days per quarter, applying to all staff. But it became clear over the course of the year that Dell’s remote workers would be disadvantaged, with in-office employees receiving incentives and a greater chance of earning promotions.