Dell has issued a 1984-type warning to its employees working in hybrids, who from now on will be tracked through the use of electronic cards, the use of VPN and a color coding system, so that the company can control the use of the office.
A source familiar with the matter said Register The new initiative, spearheaded by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke, is designed to monitor the on-site presence of the company's hybrid workers.
The system will be used to rate employees based on their presence in the office for at least 39 days per quarter, which is equivalent to about three days per week.
Dell vs hybrid work
Starting May 13, Dell intends to provide employees with weekly updates on their in-person presence through its human resources software, with reports accompanied by a color-coded rating. Ratings will include green, yellow and red flags for “regular,” “some,” and “limited” on-site presence, and a special blue flag will be awarded to those with “consistent” on-site presence.
A Dell spokesperson commented (via Register): “In today's global technology revolution, we believe that in-person connections combined with a flexible approach are critical to driving innovation and value differentiation.”
However, workers have expressed discontent with the company's increasingly strict measures. The news comes just weeks after the company announced it would penalize workers for working too much from home, with the threat of promotions.
Other workers have linked the increased vigilance to continued workforce reductions and cost optimization efforts. Dell laid off about 6,000 workers in March 2024 and another 6,650 in February 2023. On both occasions, the company saw a 5% reduction in its workforce.
