Google employees to work from home until 2021

The tech giant's announcement will affect “nearly all” of its 200,000 employees, including contractors and full-time workers.
By: | July 28, 2020
Topics: Compensation and Benefits | Health and Wellness | Hybrid Working | News

Google will allow its employees to work from home until the summer of 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The announcement on July 27 extends the tech giant’s previous announcement that workers would return to offices by January 2021.

It will affect “nearly all” of Google’s 200,000 employees, including contractors and full-time workers.

READ: Google set for partial reopening of workplace

“To give employees the ability to plan ahead, we are extending our global voluntary work from home option through June 30 next year for roles that don’t need to be in the office,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in an internal email to employees.

Google was one of the first major tech companies that allowed its employees to work from home to help curb the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

Other companies such as Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Twitter have followed suit, with Twitter even announcing that its employees could work from home “forever” if they wish.

Meanwhile, Facebook said eligible employees can request a permanent remote-work arrangement, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg estimates half of the organisation will continue to work remotely within the next five to 10 years.