Google Tightens ‘Work From Anywhere’ Policy Post-Covid.

Google is dialing back its remote work perks, tweaking its “Work from Anywhere” (WFA) policy established during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original policy granted employees the flexibility to work outside their primary office location for up to four weeks annually. However, internal documents reviewed by CNBC reveal a significant change: even a single day of remote work will now be counted as a full week against the allotted four-week WFA allowance.

“Whether you log 1 WFA day or 5 WFA days in a given standard work week, 1 WFA week will be deducted from your WFA weekly balance,” the document stated, a change that was implemented earlier this summer.

This adjustment doesn’t affect Google’s existing hybrid work arrangement, which allows employees to work from home two days per week. Crucially, WFA days are intended for remote work outside the home, not as a substitute for the standard work-from-home policy.

“WFA weeks cannot be used to work from home or nearby,” the document clarifies.

While Google declined to comment directly, this policy shift reflects a broader trend among tech giants pushing for increased in-office presence after several years of remote or hybrid models. The implications extend beyond mere logistics, impacting company culture, real estate strategies, and talent acquisition.

This mirrors moves by other tech powerhouses. Microsoft announced last month that employees will be expected to work in the office three days a week starting next year, a departure from its more lenient earlier policy. Amazon has taken an even firmer stance, mandating corporate employees to be in the office five days a week.

This push back to the office comes amidst other changes at Google. Earlier this year, the company offered voluntary buyouts to some U.S. full-time employees and indicated that remote workers in several departments could face layoffs if they didn’t adhere to hybrid work schedules.

Furthermore, the updated WFA policy imposes geographical limitations. Employees are now restricted from working from Google offices in different states or countries under the WFA allowance, citing “legal and financial implications of cross border work.” The policy also stipulates that employees working remotely in different time zones may be required to align their working hours with those time zones.

The changes will not affect every Google employee. The policy will not be applicable for the staffs who work in data centers or whose positions require a physical presence. Violations of these policies are subject to disciplinary action or termination.

The policy shift has reportedly generated internal debate. At a recent all-hands meeting, one highly-voted internal question described the new rule as “confusing.”

“Why does even one day of WFA count as a whole week, and can we reconsider the restriction on using WFA weeks to work from home?” the question asked.

In response, John Casey, Google’s vice president of performance and rewards, explained that the original WFA policy “was meant to meet Googlers where they were during the pandemic.”

“The policy was always intended to be taken in increments of a week and not be used as a substitute for working from home in a regular hybrid work week,” Casey stated during the meeting.

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