Google was one of the first large companies to remove workers from offices in the early days of the epidemic, but is now recalling employees. Some of them say they do not intend to return.

At a time when technology companies such as Microsoft and Twitter have announced that they will allow employees to work permanently from home, Google has opposed the transition to working remotely, and employees say frustration is growing among a section of workers. .

As Google programmer Chris Broadfoot wrote on Thursday, this frustration spread on social media last week, “I talked to a few Google colleagues and they said they would resign if they were forced into office in September.”

Several other employees joined the conversation to share their views, and some said they would look for another job if Google forced them to return to their offices.

Six current Google employees – who spoke with Insider – shared similar sentiments and got to know colleagues who have taken steps to work remotely and permanently during an epidemic. They requested anonymity as they did not have the authority to speak to the media.

“My co-workers have no real intention of returning,” said one of the staff, “most of them were between 30 and 40 years old.”

Another said that at least two employees in her group had taken consistent steps in their lifestyle during the outbreak and would not return to the office if asked.

Mixed model

Google told employees it would return to offices by September 2021, but last December the company announced that it would test the new flexible configuration, where employees are expected to work 3 days a week.

The company provided some specific details of the new arrangement, forcing employees to respond. Google has never said it would offer remote work entirely to anyone who wants it, but as the deadline to return to offices has moved backwards, some employees have somehow made arrangements to continue working remotely, with Google insisting that it will eventually follow other companies that allow employees. Regularly away from home. Facebook announced last year that it would allow employees to work remotely.

“There are employees who are already leaving because they don’t want to wait until September. They want to move on with life,” an official said.

A Google spokesman said the company would conduct a number of tests on remote control, but that’s not the case with the current policy.

If you want to believe the company’s opinion poll, many Google employees want to go back to office. A domestic survey last year said 62% of Google employees want to go back, but only 8% want to do it full time.

Over the past few months, CEO Sundar Pichai has given other indications that Google is considering a timely deadline when employees return. After that, questions were asked about leadership ideas on how to work remotely.

At a session last October, Pichai said most of Google’s employee roles are still linked to an office, but said the company plans to expand the number of “central” offices to give employees more flexibility on how they work.

After that, employees pressed the lead to clarify how Google wants Sible to be effective and whether the 3-day office law applies equally across the company, but they say they have not received an answer.

Alphabet plans to spend $ 7 billion on offices and data centers by 2021, said Ruth Porath, chief financial officer at the company’s first quarter earnings announcement.

“We value bringing people together in the office. We are looking at a mixed model of working from home and office,” she told an analyst.

Google may lose employees

While some wait for answers on what to look for, some employees take the initiative and walk away from their desks, while others do not need to go to the office up to 3 days a week.

Justin Pickworth, Google’s director of engineering, tweeted, “I do not want to return to Seattle every day. I can go from meeting to meeting via video calls.” “Now I manage 8 people Cities are divided into 5 time zones. Why should I be in an office? “

But forcing employees to return would mean losing competitors’ ability to make more flexible arrangements, as 3 Google employees told Insider that they had noticed an increase in letters from recruiters from other companies confirming their telework policies.

“If everyone is forced to return in September, I think they will have a talent drain,” said one of the officials.

Another who wants to change family said, “If I have no way to work remotely on Google by next spring, I’ll look elsewhere.”

Currently, Google allows employees to return voluntarily as offices reopen, however, employees must first pass a health survey and agree to meet new health guidelines. For those who still do not want to go back, they still have that option.

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