Salesforce has become the latest technology company in San Francisco to signal a transition from face-to-face work, declaring that the “9 am to 5 pm work day is over”.
The city’s largest private employer announced on Tuesday that it would permanently allow many employees to work from home, even after it was safe to return to offices after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Salesforce said that after researching employees about their preferences, it would transition most employees into a “flexible” situation, where they enter the office just one to three days a week. Only a small part of the workforce will continue to work in an office four or more days a week. Employees who do not live near an office are free to work remotely indefinitely.
“As employers, we have the opportunity to create an even better workplace – one that allows us to be more connected to each other, find more balance between work and home and promote equality – ultimately leading to greater innovation and better business results, ”said Brent Hyder, Salesforce’s“ personnel director, ”who directs employee policies.
The move follows similar announcements from technology companies, including Facebook and Microsoft, and has long-term implications for the city of San Francisco, where Salesforce built a notorious tower and transit terminal since 2013, making its headquarters the building highest in the city.
During the tech boom in San Francisco in the past decade, companies were known for their expanding employee campuses, with perks like cafeterias, sophisticated on-site fitness centers, sleeping capsules and games. Those days are over, Hyder suggested.
“As we enter a new year, we must continue to move forward with agility, creativity and a beginner’s mind – and that includes how we cultivate our culture,” he said. “An immersive work space is no longer limited to a table in our towers; the 9 to 5 working day is over; and the employee’s experience involves more than ping-pong tables and snacks. “
In the midst of changes in traditional workplace models, many technology professionals have left the bay area, choosing to work in more accessible cities, now that jobs offer more flexibility. The most common destination for tech workers leaving the bay is Austin, Texas, followed by Seattle, New York and Chicago, according to moveBuddha, a website that compiles data on the move.
The exodus of tech talent can have a big impact on the Bay Area, which was shaped by the technological boom and the money that came with it. The transformation of the city came with gentrification, rising rent costs, increasing homelessness and decreasing diversity. As more people with high incomes leave the city, San Francisco has seen rents drop substantially.