Remote work | Tieto told employees to return to the office with one week’s notice

Tieto told its employees last Monday that they should work at an office or a client’s premises at least three days a week. The new arrangement took effect on Tuesday, September 1, giving staff roughly one week to adjust after years of flexible remote work.

The change came as a shock to many employees, according to an unnamed worker interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat. The employee said colleagues had already organized their autumns around the possibility of working from home, including childcare schedules and hobbies. The worker’s identity was withheld over fears of consequences at work, and Helsingin Sanomat said it verified the person’s employment at Tieto.

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This is guidance, not a rule. Our operations will continue to be based on trust between managers and employees. We are developing a workplace where employees and teams have the flexibility to work together. So absolutely not. This is not about reducing staff.

Tieto has about 1,600 employees in Finland and 13,000 across more than 20 countries. Management has defended the on-site guidance by pointing to learning and innovation, saying it wants to increase face-to-face meetings and cooperation. It also believes remote work has become more common than intended. Human resources chief Trine Rønningen said reactions had varied, but that most employees welcomed the change. Some had raised concerns about practical arrangements, she said, and the company was looking for solutions.

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It is guidance based on trust, responsibility and flexibility. It is part of Tieto’s culture and the right way for us to operate.

The employee questioned whether the policy made sense in a company where team members often work in different cities or countries. After following the guidance at Tieto’s office in Keilaniemi, Espoo, the worker spent most of the day in a phone booth attending remote meetings with the team. The only face-to-face exchange came briefly in a lunch queue. The worker also said remote work had served as a recruitment advantage and that office space had been reduced in recent years for cost reasons. Rønningen said office facilities had been adjusted up and down according to local needs, and that meeting rooms, quiet areas and phone booths provided places to work even when they were not counted as desks.

Asked whether the policy could quietly reduce staffing by forcing employees to resign, Rønningen rejected the idea: “This is guidance, not a rule. Our operations will continue to be based on trust between managers and employees. We are developing a workplace where employees and teams have the flexibility to work together. So absolutely not. This is not about reducing staff.” She said employees who struggle with the arrangement should discuss workable solutions with their managers.

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If an employee has problems or finds it difficult to find a workable way of working, they can discuss finding a solution with their manager.