Google To Reopen Offices By July 6; Offers $1,000 Work-from-home Allowance

Beginning July 6, Google plans to reopen offices in more cities, which were closed following the coronavirus pandemic-related lockdowns across the globe, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai told employees in an email.

However, the search giant still expects and encourages most Googlers to largely work from home for the rest of 2020.

For those working from home, the company offered an allowance of $1,000 or the equivalent value in each country, to meet expense to buy equipment and office furniture, which will make them productive and comfortable.

Google plans a gradual, phased approach to the office reopening and will use roughly 10 percent building occupancy. Googlers will get the opportunity to return on a limited, rotating basis. By September, the company hopes to further scale the rotation program, building over time to 30 percent capacity.

Those limited number of Googlers whose roles are needed back in office in this year will be informed by their respective managers by June 10.

Google in early March had asked all of its North American employees to work from home if their role allows, to help slow down the spread of COVID-19.

With the virus spreading fear still going strong and lockdowns continue across regions, most technology companies are expecting to allow their employees to continue to work from home at least till year end.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg last week had said the company is looking to begin to open most of its offices on July 6, expecting only about 25 percent of its existing workforce of near 50,000 to return to their desks by the end of 2020. The social media giant eventually will have at least half of its employees working remotely from home on a permanent basis by the end of 2030.

In mid-May, Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey also said that employees at both of his companies who want to work from home permanently could do so even after the coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions end.

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