Thousands of employees at Europe’s largest software company, SAP, have signed a letter saying they feel “betrayed” by the firm’s “radical change in direction” on its back-to-office directive, with many threatening to leave rather than return to offices or work on-site with customers at least three days a week starting in April.
It’s a stark shift from the company’s pre-pandemic approach, which allowed a sizable portion of SAP’s workforce to be remote. As recently as 2021, SAP’s CEO, Christian Klein, described SAP as a “100 percent flexible and trust-based workplace.” But like many executives, Klein’s view has changed as labor market dynamics have tilted toward employers having the upper hand. After the company reported strong earnings last month, Klein expressed frustration with remote work’s effects on SAP’s culture.
“I’m not a big believer that on a…
