Dell enforces full-time office attendance for North America sales staff

Dell has tightened its return-to-office requirements for its North American sales workforce, informing employees that flexible interpretations of its five-day onsite policy will no longer be accepted.

The revised directive was communicated through an internal memo issued by Jackie Miller, vice president of North American Commercial Sales, and addressed to sales employees classified as onsite. Dell stated that, with immediate effect, all such employees are required to work from the office five days a week for a minimum of eight hours per day. The policy applies to staff based at Dell’s key sales locations in Round Rock, Texas, Nashville, Tennessee, and Oklahoma City.

As reported by Moneycontrol, the memo followed internal checks that revealed widespread non-compliance with the company’s return-to-office mandate, which was first announced earlier this year. Dell leadership reportedly conducted site visits and end-of-day walkthroughs that showed several employees swiping their badges in the morning but leaving well before the end of the workday. In some instances, employees were found to be arriving late or departing by mid-afternoon despite being designated as onsite workers.

Dell had previously instructed its sales teams to return to the office five days a week from September 2024. However, the earlier guidance did not specify daily working hours, allowing room for interpretation at the managerial level. The latest memo removes this ambiguity by formally introducing an eight-hour daily requirement, addressing what had emerged as a growing gap between stated policy and actual practice.

In her communication to staff, Miller stated that physical presence in the office is critical for collaboration, communication and productivity. She informed employees that any time away from their desks for personal reasons must now be logged using vacation time or personal business allowances. Informal arrangements that previously allowed staff to leave early and complete work remotely are no longer permitted under the stricter enforcement.

The move has reportedly caused frustration among sections of the workforce, particularly employees with children. Under earlier interpretations of the policy, some managers had allowed flexibility for school pick-ups or childcare responsibilities, with employees completing the remainder of their workday from home. Sales leadership has now stated that there are no standing exemptions for school schedules or routine childcare needs, a shift that has been described internally as disruptive for families.

Dell has defended the decision, stating publicly that it expects employees to work a standard working day while allowing limited flexibility in specific circumstances. A company spokesperson stated that employees in global roles who are required to take late-night calls may still receive some accommodation. However, internal guidance circulated alongside the memo remains firm in most situations.

According to an internal frequently asked questions document, temporary medical conditions or occasional traffic-related delays may be approved at a manager’s discretion. Ongoing childcare responsibilities, caring for dependents or managing personal business were explicitly listed as reasons that do not qualify for work-from-home exceptions.