Back To Office Or Resign: Google Cracks Down On WFH, Offers Voluntary Exits
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Earlier this year, Alphabet's Google had already laid off hundreds of employees from its platforms and devices unit as part of recalibration.
Google is stepping up its efforts to get more employees back into the office, urging those within 50 miles of a Google location to adopt a hybrid work model. This change applies to teams in key areas such as Core, Marketing, Research, Knowledge & Information (K&I), and Communications. The K&I team, responsible for products like Google Search, commerce, and ads, is significantly impacted.
Under the new guidelines, employees working remotely must now come into the office at least three days a week. Although Google had introduced a hybrid work policy in 2022, this recent update reinforces the company's commitment to in-person collaboration.
To support this transition, Google is offering a voluntary exit programme for some US-based employees, as noted in an internal memo obtained by Business Insider. Those who choose to leave will receive a severance package. A Google spokesperson highlighted that this option aims to help the company concentrate on future initiatives, and similar programmes have yielded positive results in other teams.
The memo from a senior Google executive outlines the company's need for enhanced connectivity and collaboration among its teams, particularly in light of the growing importance of AI.
Google Layoffs 2025
Earlier this year, Alphabet's Google had already laid off hundreds of employees from its platforms and devices unit, including those working on Android software, Pixel phones, and the Chrome browser. These layoffs followed January's buyout offers to workers in the same unit. A Google spokesperson mentioned that the job cuts were part of an effort to streamline operations and improve efficiency, alongside the voluntary exit programme initiated earlier in the year.
E-commerce giant Amazon has ended its 'Work from home" policy for employees. In a memo to staff, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that, effective January 2, 2025, employees would return to full-time office work and that 'pre-meetings" would be eliminated. Jassy specifically targeted 'pre-meetings for the pre-meetings for the decision meetings" as unnecessary and time-wasting. He argued that such redundant gatherings slow down decision-making and waste valuable time.
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