5 ms·
While this was probably a necessary move due to ongoing covid19 impact on families as well as pressure from other companies (e.g. FB and Twitter having announce
by paulpan 6y ago
While this was probably a necessary move due to ongoing covid19 impact on families as well as pressure from other companies (e.g. FB and Twitter having announced broader WFH policies), it's fascinating to see Google do this and how it'll impact their workforce in the longer term.
Google arguably pioneered the model of "office will have everything you need" to incentive current employees to come to the office as well as lure new recruits. It's been a win-win for the company and the employees: Google gets focus/dedication and the synergies of colocation, whereas employees can enjoy the many onsite perks.
One major irony is that for a company that sells products that facilitate and enable WFH, such as the GSuite, it's actually not very open to allowing its employees to WFH. Covid19 has seemingly forced the company to change, or at least adapt in the short term.
But what happens in 2-3 years? As tech employees everywhere are used to WFH, Google probably needs to de-emphasize the onsite requirement aspect and consequently change their culture/workplace model.
- Panini_Jones 6y agoI am not a fan of WFH. One thing I do wonder though is, now that I've bought thousands of dollars worth of home office and gym equipment, why would I want to forfeit that? I suspect many employees who sprung for the HM chair and the standing desks won't want to leave those unused at home very easily.
- esoterica 6y agoThat's easy, just give up work-life balance and work another 40 hours a week at home on top of the 40 at the office.
- hinkley 6y ago> Google arguably pioneered the model of "office will have everything you need" No, that was company towns, which are frontier era. 'We provide everything you need' is also a good way to run a cult. The cost of leaving is that you lose everything, including friends and family. Right now Google can't get your whole family working at the company so they don't have quite the lock on people that they could.