Google says about 20% of staff will work from home under new remote plan

Kelly Gooch -

Google has adopted a hybrid workplace model that will allow 20 percent of employees to permanently work from home and another 20 percent to work in new office locations, The Wall Street Journal reported May 5.

The tech giant said the plan is part of its goal for a more flexible workplace.

"Our campuses have been at the heart of our Google community and the majority of our employees still want to be on campus some of the time," Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, wrote in an email to employees. "Yet many of us would also enjoy the flexibility of working from home a couple days of week, spending time in another city for part of the year, or even moving there permanently. Google's future workplace will have room for all of these possibilities."

Mr. Pichai said Google will move to a hybrid workweek where most employees work approximately three days in the office and two days "wherever they work best." The company will also allow employees to apply to move to another office. Additionally, employees may apply for permanent remote work. 

With the overall changes, Mr. Pichai said he expects 60 percent of employees will work at their current office a few days a week, another 20 percent of staff would work in new office locations, and 20 percent would work from home permanently.

He said workers will also be able to temporarily work from anywhere for up to four weeks per year with manager approval.

By mid-June, workers will receive more details about these changes and the application process, he wrote.

The workplace changes come after Google announced last December an extension of its remote work period through Sept. 1, 2021.

Google is based in Mountain View, Calif., and has 140,000 employees.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.