Google aims to reopen US offices in April

San Francisco: Google aims to reopen its offices in the United States in April for those who wish to return to work, according to an email sent to employees on Wednesday.

The move comes after several US-based technology firms—Microsoft Corp. Facebook Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc.—announced plans to reopen their headquarters and campuses in the coming months.

According to The Verge, Google plans to open its US offices in a limited capacity in April. Offices will likely open in April, "based on specific criteria that include increases in vaccine availability and downward trends in Covid-19 cases," Google said in a statement.


According to Google and Alphabet Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, flexible work conditions are safe for people to return and Google employees would work three days in the office and the rest of the week at home.

"No company at our scale has ever created a fully hybrid work force model though a few are starting to test it so it will be interesting to try," Pichai said.

Amazon has shared an update on making its employees return to work in person. Microsoft has announced a gradual reopening of its Redmond, Washington-based headquarters and nearby campuses from March 29 with a six-stage hybrid workplace strategy.

The company said that while Stages 4 and 5 offer limited or augmented options for workers who choose to be on-site, employees are encouraged to work remotely while their site remains in Stages 1-5 and should not feel they need to return.