As the number of coronavirus cases soars in the state of Washington, Microsoft has asked employees to work from home until March 25. But there is an exception: anyone who has a job that requires the person to be physically present.
Microsoft declined to specify who that exception covers, but an email reviewed by Business Insider reveals it includes field sales people, those who man Microsoft's brand new, 20,000-square-foot Industry Experience Center (IEC) opened near the headquarters in October as well as its Executive Business Center (EBC), a conference room and tech demo hall on campus. Those sites are remaining open, according to the email sent to employees late last week from Judson Althoff and Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice presidents in the sales organization.
The email explains that both of these centers are considered a "business-critical function" for the company because this is where sales people host customers. These centers are chock-full of demos of Microsoft technology.
So all IEC employees and EBC employees who are feeling healthy — as well as speakers and Microsoft account sales teams who have scheduled onsite visits with customers — have been told that those meetings are to continue uninterrupted, and employees should report for work as expected.
"While we have followed guidance of health authorities in encouraging people who can work from home to do so, we remain very much open for business," Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw tells Business Insider. "As we've shared with our employees, we will continue business critical operations at our Redmond campus. This includes our EBC, where we showcase Microsoft's latest products and services to existing and potential customers. Of course, we are taking a number of precautionary measures, but as I said, open for business."
These facilities are not open to the public, so only scheduled customer visits will take place. Given how tech conferences have been cancelled in mass these past few months, keeping these private facilities open leaves an option for sales people who want face-to-face time with customers.
Microsoft has closed its general visitor's center on campus, which also showcases Microsoft technology but is open to the public, the company confirmed.
Microsoft revealed last week that two of its employees contracted COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Another email reviewed by Business Insider, sent Monday by Microsoft Executive Vice President Kurt DelBene, didn't provide any updates about coronavirus cases but said Microsoft's senior leadership team is meeting "at least daily" to discuss how to handle the situation.
Some employees criticized Microsoft's initial response to the outbreak, which simply advised employees to talk to their managers about concerns or working from home. The company soon after advised most employees to work from home a few days, and soon after that extended the guidance to ask employees to work remotely until March 25.
Are you an insider with insight to share? Contact Julie Bort via email at jbort@bjinnox.com or on encrypted chat app Signal at (970) 430-6112 (no PR inquiries, please). Open DMs on Twitter @Julie188. Contact Ashley Stewart via email at astewart@bjinnox.com, message her on Twitter @ashannstew, or send her a secure message through Signal at 425-344-8242.
