Bad news for employees of this IT company as it adopts harsh new policy, set to affect…, not Narayana Murthy’s Infosys, Google, Ratan Tata’s TCS, name is…, CEO is Indian….

IBM, the global tech powerhouse employing more than 270,000 people across the globe, is stepping into the growing corporate movement to reduce remote work flexibility. In recent months, major firms like Amazon, Dell, and JPMorgan Chase have rolled out strict in-office policies, requiring employees to return to office desks full-time. These moves were largely justified by claims that face-to-face collaboration fosters better innovation and team dynamics. However, not all workers are on board — Amazon faced significant staff departures following its updated policy, while JPMorgan employees launched an online petition urging the company to maintain a hybrid setup.

Now, IBM is making its own shift. Under the leadership of CEO Arvind Krishna, the company is reportedly asking its US sales teams to prepare for a notable change in how and where they work.

A recent internal memo from Adam Lawrence, IBM’s General Manager for the Americas, outlines a new initiative titled the “return to client” plan. According to the directive, sales employees must now spend at least three days per week at a client’s office, a major IBM office, or a designated sales hub — wherever key decision-makers within their territory operate.

Employees living more than 50 miles from their assigned office will have the option to relocate, with IBM offering support for the move. Additionally, digital sales teams currently stationed in Dallas, Texas, are set to transition to a new base in Austin by 2026.

IBM’s return-to-office push fuels relocation concerns and layoff speculation

IBM is doubling down on its return-to-office strategy with a sweeping new initiative targeting its U.S.-based sales force. As part of this plan, the company is reinforcing in-person collaboration by requiring certain employees to work at least three days a week from specific physical locations tied to client engagement.

Currently, IBM maintains five flagship offices across key US cities, California, New York, Texas, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. Additionally, it operates eight regional sales hubs in Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, North Carolina, Washington, Chicago, and California.

In a recent memo, IBM Americas General Manager Adam Lawrence praised the energy and collaboration seen at the company’s newly opened flagship location in Manhattan, New York, describing it as a model for the kind of synergy IBM aims to replicate across the country.

Under the “Return to Client” program, sales teams working with Enterprise, Horizon, and Strategic clients will be expected to work in proximity to their assigned accounts, whether at client sites, IBM offices, or designated sales hubs. However, the policy excludes employees working with National Market clients, Canada, Latin America, Federal markets, and specialized units such as Web Methods, Technology Expert Labs Delivery, and the Software Migration Project Office.

This move closely follows a similar directive issued earlier this month to IBM’s U.S. cloud division, requiring those employees to begin working from “strategic locations” three days a week. A July 1 deadline was set for compliance, with an October 1 cutoff for those who need to relocate.

However, the policy has triggered concerns within the company. Some current and former employees speaking to The Register expressed worries that the mandate could serve as a disguised layoff tactic, particularly impacting older employees who may be less inclined to uproot their families.

These concerns are amplified by reports that IBM plans to cut 9,000 U.S. jobs over the next year, while simultaneously expanding its hiring in India — a shift that may align with broader cost-cutting goals.

Relocation mandates have proven unpopular across the corporate world this year, with the majority of employees opting out of moves when presented with similar offers. Whether IBM’s strategy will strengthen collaboration or spark further pushback remains to be seen.

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