IBM told many of its remote workers they will have to relocate to a company office, or risk losing their jobs, according to CNN. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news May 18.
Here are four things to know.
1. IBM was an industry leader in work-from-home policies, according to CNN. The company previously emphasized the benefits of its policy, highlighting how between 1995 and 2008 it reduced office space and saved $1.9 billion in the process. The latest company data on remote workers, which was released in 2007, says 40 percent of the almost 400,000 IBM employees took advantage of non-traditional offices.
2. IBM told CNN the majority of employees who the company asked to relocate to an office have agreed to the policy change. Although some employees will continue to have the work-from-home option, others will be asked to leave the company if they do not agree to the policy change. IBM declined to tell CNN how many workers will be returning to the office.
3. In a statement sent to CNN, IBM explained: "In many fields, such as software development and digital marketing, the nature of work is changing, which requires new ways of working." It continued that bringing workers back into the office will help to connect "small, self-directed agile teams in these fields together."
4. It is unclear whether — or how much — IBM will spend on bringing more employees into the office, according to CNN.