Google To Reopen Offices on July 6th, But Encourages Work From Home
May 27, 2020Google will begin the gradual reopening of its offices on July 6th, 2020. According to its CEO, Sundar Pichai, the process will be a gradual one, with staff returning to offices on a rotation basis. This entails working remotely for most of the time, and only coming into the office once every couple of weeks.
This means that only 10% of the Search giant’s workforce will be in the office on any given day. That figure will eventually rise to 30% by September, if the situation permits. Pichai says that Google still sees the value in its offices due to the various chance encounters that have given rise to the inception of innovative products.
Pichai also says that the company is prioritizing those who are needed in the office, to return to work first. This will be determined by the respective managers, who will then notify employees by June 10th. Those who are comfortable and are able to work remotely can continue to do so, and may even relocate provided that they receive approval from the company.
Credit: “Source: Google”
Office life for Googlers, which is a term used internally for Google employees, will not be the same pre-COVID-19. Stringent safety measures that include temperature screening, social distancing policies and periodic sanitization procedures will be carried out as soon as its office reopen.
There are also plans to develop a more flexible working environment, which should help the company balance its “work from home” staff and those who are needed at the office. That said, Google expects most of its workforce to continue to work from home for the rest of the year.
And to help them adjust, the company will be giving each Googler an allowance of $1,000 USD, or the equivalent value in their country, to expense necessary equipment and office furniture. This move signals the company’s intent on focusing major reopening efforts for 2021.
