Google employees will work from home until summer 2021.
Here’s what you need to know.
As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, Google will extend its remote work policy through June 30, 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that most of Google’s 200,000 employees and contractors could work from home through June 2021. Google CEO Sundar Pichai made the decision to help Google employees sync work schedules with their children’s school schedules, as many children will not return to in-person instruction at least for the upcoming fall semester, and potentially for the full school year. Google employees began remote work starting in March. In May, Pichai announced that Google employees likely will work from home for the remainder of 2020. Employees who need to return to their office were slated to return as early as “June or July,” but that was subsequently deferred until September.
“To give employees the ability to plan ahead, we are extending our global voluntary work from home option through June 30, 2021 for roles that don’t need to be in the office,” Pichai wrote in an email to employees, which Business Insider reviewed. “I hope this will offer the flexibility you need to balance work with taking care of yourselves and your loved ones over the next 12 months.”
Other technology companies have joined Google to allow their employees to work from home in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. For example:
Amazon also extended its work from home policy. Amazon employees who can work from home have the option to work remotely through January 2021.
Most Facebook employees can work from home through the end of 2020, although some employees returned to offices in July. Like Google, Facebook employees began working remotely starting in March. Facebook has said it would allow some employees to work from home permanently, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg expects that 50% of Facebook employees will work remotely by 2030.
Microsoft will continue its work from home policy through October. Microsoft employees began working remotely in March.
CEO Jack Dorsey announced in May that except those required to be physically present in an office, Twitter employees will be able to work from home permanently.
Zillow CEO Rich Barton tweeted that Zillow employees “have the flexibility” to work from home through at least the end of the year.
What is the future of work? How will Covid-19 affect your return to your office? Technology giants such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft have taken the lead to put employees first in defining their work-from-home policies. Many companies may follow their lead and extend remote work policies until the end of 2020 and into 2021. When you return to your office, you may notice multiple changes. Of course, every employer and work environment is unique. Here are five potential changes you could experience:
It’s also possible that you may work from home indefinitely. As companies re-evaluate health concerns and real estate costs, you may not have a physical office at all.
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Zack Friedman is the bestselling author of the blockbuster book, The Lemonade Life. Apple named The Lemonade Life one of “Fall’s Biggest Audiobooks” and a “Must-Listen.”
Zack Friedman is the bestselling author of the blockbuster book, The Lemonade Life. Apple named The Lemonade Life one of “Fall’s Biggest Audiobooks” and a “Must-Listen.” Zack is the Founder & CEO of Make Lemonade, a leading online personal finance company that empowers you to live a better financial life. He is an in-demand speaker and has inspired millions through his powerful insights, including more than 135 million people who have read his advice. Previously, he was a chief financial officer, a hedge fund investor, and worked at Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, and the White House. Zack holds degrees from Harvard, Wharton, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins.