Google Wants Some Remote Workers To Return To The Office

Google is now telling some of its remote workers to return to the office at least three days a week. Those who don’t may risk being let go.

Targeted RTO

The new return to office requirements are reportedly not company-wide, but targeted within certain departments and teams. According to a CNBC report, remote workers in the Technical Services department must either “switch to a hybrid office schedule or take a voluntary exit package.” They are also “being offered a one-time paid relocation expense to move within 50 miles of an office.”

Remote workers in Google’s Peoples Operations department must work in the office on a hybrid schedule if they live within 50 miles of an office. If they do not return to the office by June, they will lose their job. Remote employees who live over 50 miles away from an office can stay remote. However, they will need to move to a hybrid schedule if they want to move to new positions within Google.

A Google spokesperson said, “As we’ve said before, in-person collaboration is an important part of how we innovate and solve complex problems. To support this, some teams have asked remote employees that live near an office to return to in-person work three days a week.”

Sergey Brin, a Google co-founder, said earlier this year that AI employees should be in the office every weekday. He added that 60 hours a week is “the sweet spot of productivity.”

RTO Trend

Google’s latest RTO requirements come as the company has tried to reduce the size of its workforce. Recently, it offered voluntary exit packages to some employees, and has conducted layoffs within the past two years. Google has also been focusing on its investments in AI.

Lately, other tech firms have been cutting back on staff, or mandating a return to office. Many states, and the US federal government, have recently pushed RTO mandates.