As we inch closer to the end of summer and start of fall, many of us are wondering how the coronavirus will impact life moving forward. Many schools have already announced remote learning for this fall, leaving large corporations in a similar predicament. Due to increasing cases, it might be too risky to have employees back in the office setting. For example, companies like Google sent employees home when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Safe at home, workers were able to complete work remotely. Now, Google is extending this remote work for many employees.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Google has extended its remote work through July of 2021. This bold decision has come from Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Of course, if the pandemic does not improve by then, the end date could be extended further. The report states that the announcement has only been sent to a limited amount of employees. If confirmed, we could see an official announcement in the next couple of weeks.
It’s said that Pichai made this decision for the safety of employees and uncertainty of the upcoming school year. Back in May, Pichai said that employees would most likely work from home for the rest of 2020 but no one expected this extension coming. This move will impact 200,000 of Google’s full-time employees. Google has stated that employees will be allowed to expense up to $1,000 for home office needs. These could include desks, chairs, or electronics.
Once Google makes this announcement official, more companies will likely follow. Keeping employees out of congested office environments will help contain the spread of the virus. Still, it’s understandable how working from home will be a challenge for some.