Dell is in for a rude awakening for employees about returning to the office

della (della) has officially jumped on a growing trend in corporate America that employees might not be too fond of.

The tech giant sent a memo to members of its global sales team on Sept. 26, informing them that their remote working days will end in the next few days, according to a new report from Business Insider.

Related: Dell workers ignore return-to-office mandate

“This level of sales is a unique environment that has combined high energy with a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement,” the memo said. “To harness this energy and develop skills, we believe our sales teams need to be in the office together. In addition, our data shows that sales teams are more productive in the field.”

Dell says sales staff will be required to return to the office five days a week from September 30 “regardless of role”. However, the company states in the memo that remote sales team members who cannot work in a Dell office should continue to work remotely, but “more communications regarding remote workers will be sent to the coming weeks”.

The move from Dell comes after it launched a back-to-the-office policy in February that required most of its employees to work from the office three days a week and work a minimum of 39 days each quarter. Dell has even started tracking employees through badge passes and VPN connections to monitor how often they work from its office locations.

A worker assembles laptops at the Dell booth at the CeBIT 2013 technology fair, a day before the fair opens to visitors, March 4, 2013, in Hanover, Germany.

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

In the new memo, Dell acknowledges that working at a desk five days a week is “a change from current expectations,” but the change is vital because of the “industry and technology” that is advancing at a rapid pace.

“Our strength lies in a culture of collaborating, winning and celebrating together,” the note said. “As we enter a new AI world, in-person human interaction will be more important than ever.”

Dell’s new policy appears to be part of a growing trend

Dell appears to be following in the footsteps of Amazon, which recently informed employees that starting January 5, 2025, they will have to work in the office five days a week, ending its hybrid work policy. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy argued in a memo last week announcing the change that “teams tend to be better connected to each other” by working in person.

Related: Dell to start tracking employees to enforce tough new policy

Dell previously faced pushback from employees over his mandate to return to the office in February. In June, a report from Insider claimed that roughly half of Dell employees chose to ignore the company’s RTO policy and continue to work remotely full-time.

Employees have even claimed that many of Dell’s offices are mostly empty, pointing out that there is no point in reporting to the office.

You can read the full memo Dell sent to employees on September 26 below.

Hello team,

This sales force has a winning culture and a reputation for outperforming the competition. We are the best in the field! That doesn’t come without dedicated focus, perseverance and grit. To maintain this legacy, we must continuously work on it. To grow faster than the market and gain share, we must always sharpen our edge.

This sales floor is a unique environment that has combined high energy with a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. To harness this energy and develop skills, we believe our sales teams need to be in the office together. In addition, our data shows that sales teams are more productive in the field.

With that in mind, starting Monday, September 30, ALL Global Sales team members who can work from a Dell office are expected to be on-site five days a week, regardless of role. Field salespeople are expected to spend five days a week with customers and partners or in a Dell Technologies office. Field salespeople who can’t walk into a Dell office should prioritize face-to-face time with customers and partners. Remote sales team members who cannot enter a Dell office should continue to work remotely. More communications regarding remote workers will be sent in the coming weeks.

Yes, this is a change from current expectations. The industry and technology is moving fast, the opportunity is huge and we need to make sure we are in the best position to take advantage of it. We know that situations will arise when you need to work remotely. This is to be expected, but remote work should be the exception rather than the routine. We also know that many of you have organized your lives around three days at the office and may need some time to make new arrangements.

Global Facilities will continue to evaluate neighborhood capacity and address any future needs.

When we’re not traveling to meet with clients and partners, we’re in the office. When you step into the sales floor with all team members on site, the energy is amazing – it’s dynamic and fast-paced. Sales managers are actively involved in the field, not remotely, providing real-time feedback, guidance and support.

Our strength lies in a culture of collaborating, winning and celebrating together. As we enter a new AI world, in-person human interaction will be more important than ever.

Let’s win, beat the competition, take advantage of every opportunity and take share!

Bill and John.

Bill Scannell

President, Global Sales and Customer Operations

John Byrne

President, Sales, Global Regions, Dell Tech Select

Implementation will be subject to local laws, regulations and practices, including consultation with works councils and employee representatives where appropriate.

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