Google Pushes Back Office Return Indefinitely

As the threat of the Omicron variant grows, Google has delayed their return-to-the-office indefinitely to seek a “stable, long-term working environment” solution.

Companies large and small have struggled to decipher when would be the best time to bring workers back into the office.

For Google, the company aimed to transition to a hybrid work model during the fall, and then pushed its return-to-office date to January of 2022.

Now, as cases of Covid-19 once again surge and a new variant emerges, the return-to-office is being threatened once more.

This has led the company to push back its return indefinitely, stating that it will wait to bring workers back in until it can strategize a “stable, long-term working environment.”

In an email to employees from Google’s VP of Security Chris Rackow, workers were informed that they will receive a 30-day notice before they are expected back in the office. Rackow also said employees should “reconnect with colleagues in person and start regaining the muscle memory of being in the office more regularly” where possible.

Despite this appearing to be yet another vague delay, the description of trying to create a stable work environment is notable on its own.

What this statement indicates is Google does not want to meet an arbitrary deadline simply to bring workers back into the office. Instead, the firm appears to want long-lasting solutions that can help employees maintain their current flexibility, while also staying resistant to unprecedented events in the future.