RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — IBM still doesn’t have a hard date for its some 350,000-strong international workforce to return back to the office.

But it does have a “post-pandemic” workforce strategy.

This week, the tech giant, with a large presence in the Triangle, posted on its intranet to employees a “playbook” that that it intends to follow as it begins to open its doors — in waves — over the next weeks and months.

The guideline includes plans for a phased return, enhanced testing, contact tracing, treatment, physical changes to the office space and a list of readiness checks. There’s also a section on and how a “wave 2” of COVID-19 could impact return-to-work planning and progress.

“We can’t predict when we will have Raleigh IBMers return to the workplace, but we are vigorously preparing,” said IBM sokesperson Zach Rowe.

The plans calls for IBM’s first wave of workers to begin to return once COVID-19 cases decelerate; IBM anticipates it beginning sometime in May or June.

Masks will be required, and social distancing observed; travel restrictions will be in place based on local conditions.

Source: IBM

Advances in COVID-19 treatment, IBM said, together with a significant scaling of testing and contact tracing, will permit a second wave of employees to return.

By the third wave, IBM said some will be able to work on site regularly, others on an as-needed basis. Travel restrictions will likely reflect increased flexibility, while many of the new working norms will have become standard procedure.

Red Hat, IBM’s subsidiary, is expected to follow the same guidelines.

“We have to change quickly, not only to adapt but to survive,” Tim Humphrey, Vice President of IBM’s Chief Data Office, said during an IBM Think Leadership livestream on May 12.

“People need to know what to expect so they can mentally prepare for what the office will look like. We’ll even produce a video of the place so workers can create a mind’s-eye view. It’s not going to be like it was before.

“Some of it may be uncomfortable, at least in the short-term. It is going to be a trade-off. There’s not going to be handshaking or sitting close together. We’ll have to move desks and seats around so we eliminate congestion. We may remove conference rooms. We have to reimagine our building services. We’ll have to do enhanced cleaning procedures and improve our air handling, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as redesign the way breakfast, lunch and snacks are served. There’ll be an adjustment period. But we know that people’s ability to adapt is remarkable.”