Google Extends Return-to-Office Timeframe to 2022

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Google announced today that it is extending its voluntary return-to-office timeframe until January 10, 2022.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a humbling challenge for all of us and I continue to be impressed by the way our teams are navigating through it,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in an email to employees. “In spite of these challenges, I’m happy to say that a large number of offices globally are already open for business, and we are welcoming back tens of thousands of Googlers on a voluntary basis.”

However, given recent uncertainties, including the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, Google is taking additional steps to keep its employees safe, key among them the new return-to-work date. After January 10, Google will allow its regional locations to determine when to end the voluntary work-from-home program based on local conditions. And the online giant is planning two “global rest days” on October 22 and December 17 to give employees some time to recharge.

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“The road ahead may be a little longer and bumpier than we hoped, yet I remain optimistic that we will get through it together,” Mr. Pichai’s email concludes. “It’s heartening to see Googlers starting to come back to more offices globally. The ability to reconnect in person has been re-energizing for many of us, and will make us even more effective in the weeks and months ahead. Thanks for all the great work thus far; look forward to a busy Q4 as we continue to find new ways to be helpful to people everywhere.”

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Conversation 2 comments

  • vladimir

    Premium Member
    31 August, 2021 - 5:51 pm

    <p>Return to office is a big fat mess. The problems are very difficult to solve. There are people who want to go back, people who want to go in office part time and people who don’t want to go at all. The physical office makes sense if people are there but much less if only part of the people are there. There are constraints in terms of space occupation. Renting costs are not sustainable if work venues are used only part of the time. Double workspaces (office+home) are very expensive. On top of all this, possible future covid waves make everything uncertain. If it’s difficult for huge and wealthy organizations such as Apple, Microsoft and Google, one can just imagine how difficult it is for not so wealthy medium and small businesses. I’m trying to organize all this at my workplace any it’s incredibly complicated</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 September, 2021 - 12:06 pm

      <p>What needs to happen is the spaces need to be changed to adapt to the new way of working. Offices will have specialized equipment and more meeting spaces. Cubicles will either go away or be converted into shared workspaces. Yes, it’s messy and complicated, but most major transitions to the way we work are.</p>

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