GMO Internet Ends Remote Work Citing Keystroke Data, Sparking Productivity Debate

Japanese internet giant GMO Internet Group announced in July 2026 the complete elimination of remote work, six years after becoming one of Japan's first large companies to adopt it during the COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Masatoshi Kumagai justified the decision partly by pointing to lower per-hour keystroke counts among remote employees, describing the arrangement as a net negative overall. Critics argue that keystroke volume is a flawed productivity metric, since it cannot distinguish meaningful deep work from superficial activity, and may actually penalize employees who use AI coding tools — which GMO itself promotes. The decision reflects a broader phenomenon dubbed 'productivity paranoia' by Microsoft, where managers deprived of visual oversight resort to activity proxies that employees can game without improving actual output. Observers note that the real debate should focus on how knowledge work productivity is defined and measured, rather than where employees physically sit.