Alphabet Inc`s Google has seen an increasing number of employees coming in to its offices each week, particularly younger workers, the company`s real estate chief said during an interview at the Reuters Next conference on Friday.
Due to worries about the Omicron variant, Google pushed out the mandatory return date for staff indefinitely on Thursday. The corporation has stated that its 150,000 global employees could be compelled to report to work as early as January 10.
Nonetheless, Google’s vice president of real estate and workplace services, David Radcliffe, stated that many Googlers are returning on their own accord. In recent weeks, about 40% of its U.S. employees come to work on a daily basis, up from 20% to 25% three months ago, he added. He noted that around the world, 5% more employees are returning to work week after week.
“People are actually showing voluntarily that they want to be back in the office,” Radcliffe said. “We`re moving in the right direction.”
Younger employees and those who have recently joined Google have been coming in at a larger rate, looking for opportunities to learn from their peers, according to Radcliffe.
Once a new return date is mandated, Google expects employees to be in the office at least three days each week.
It is rethinking floor designs to boost private, quiet spaces for distraction-free individual work and introducing conferencing and other collaboration facilities in open spaces both indoors and outdoors, based on feedback from individuals who have already returned.
For the past 20 years, real estate and human resources professionals have regarded Google as a forerunner in sustainable office design and a variety of workplace amenities, such as free lunches, massages, and gyms.
Google has pushed employees to acquire carbon offsets and non-toxic furnishings for their home offices in order to extend those sustainability and wellness benefits to remote workers. It has also offered free cooking classes and discounts at fitness centres close to employees’ homes.
“It was amazing how many employees had really never cooked themselves,” Radcliffe said.
