Meta plans to shut down its Workplace collaboration suite by 2026 as it focuses on building AI and the metaverse. Customers can transition to Zoom’s Workvivo product, and the platform will be available for use until August 31, 2025, with data access until May 31, 2026. Meta will shift its attention to other enterprise tools in its portfolio, while Zoom also focuses on AI-powered collaboration platforms.
A study analyzing resume data from tech companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and SpaceX found that return-to-office mandates resulted in a significant number of senior employees leaving their jobs. Microsoft’s policy requiring employees to spend at least half the week in the office led to a 4% increase in sub-senior positions, while Apple saw a similar rise. SpaceX, which abolished remote work altogether, experienced a 15% increase in sub-senior worker share. The study suggests that stricter return-to-office mandates are more likely to drive senior employees to leave. The research also found that departing employees often found new positions at companies that had not yet implemented return-to-office mandates.
There’s a Gartner study, too. One-third of executives and 19% of non-executive employees in that study are considering leaving their roles due to return to office mandates.
Microsoft introduces Microsoft Places, an app that coordinates flexible work and facilitates employees’ return to the office. The app allows workers to share their planned office days, view co-workers’ schedules, and chat with nearby colleagues. The data integrates with Outlook calendars and will eventually be part of the Teams Premium plan. Microsoft Copilot will also utilize Places data to help users determine the best days to come into the office.
Why do we care?
Note the irony of Microsoft releasing a product to help with return to office yet losing employees because of it.
Was Meta ever really in the collaboration game? If you backed them, you need to know their product is going away.
Beyond that, there’s more data here on the competitive advantage being good at flexible work will provide, as here it’s hiring, and I’ll cross-reference with the Service Leadership data that says most MSPs are not doing it.