Is Google set to fire remote workers if they don't return to office?

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began, many companies switched to remote work.

Many firms, especially those in tech, still continue to retain a hybrid model – where employees will be in office a couple of days per week.

Now, one of the biggest tech firms in the world, Google, is demanding that remote workers return to the office.

But what happened? What do we know?

Let’s take a closer look:

What happened?

CNBC is reporting that Google has told its remote workers to return to office at least three days a week.

Many Google units, including remote employees in Google Technical Services and People Operations have been given the ultimatum.

Those who refuse to do so are at risk of losing their jobs, the outlet, quoting internal documents it has viewed, reported.

Some of the employees had previously been given permission to work from home.

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Remote employees in the Google Technical Services are being offered a one-time relocation expense to move within 80 kilometres of an office, per CNBC.

“As we’ve said before, in-person collaboration is an important part of how we innovate and solve complex problems,” Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini was quoted as saying.

Mencini said this decision was taking with regard to specific teams and not as a companywide policy.

“To support this, some teams have asked remote employees that live near an office to return to in-person work three days a week.”

As per Fortune, remote workers in Google Technical Services were given two choices – switching to a hybrid schedule or taking a voluntary exit package.

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Meanwhile, human resources workers who live within 80 kilometres of an office were instructed to begin a hybrid schedule or face dismissal.

Those who live further than 80 kilometres away will need to go hybrid if they want new positions at the company.

The tech firm previously offered a voluntary exit program to US-based full-time employees in human resources – which Google calls People Resources.

Google follows Meta, X

Google is following in the footsteps of other tech companies – most of whom mandate employees to be in the office a minimum of three days per week.

While both Meta and Google work a hybrid schedule, Amazon and X have ordered workers to be in the office five days per week.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who is leading the firm’s AI division, in February called on workers to be in the office “at least” every day of the week.

Brin in an internal memo told those working on the Gemini AI model that “60 hours a week is the sweet spot of productivity.

As per Outlook Business, Google in January announced separation packages to staff in the Platforms and Devices group, which includes Android, Chrome, Fitbit, and Nest.

Google has cut jobs from nearly 24 teams in the Platforms and Devices group in April.

While the company mentioned remote work in internal memos, it wasn’t cited as the main reason for the job cuts.

Google last year merged its Android and hardware teams under the leadership of senior vice president Rick Osterloh.

In January, Osterloh said the voluntary exit option might be suitable for employees unable to adapt to the hybrid model.

With inputs from agencies