Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Google are in it for the long haul

56 replies

Jenasaurus · 09/05/2020 04:51

Google have said that employees are expected to work from home until 2021 or a virus has been found. It has been discussed at work we may do the same, those that are able, will work from home for the long term

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-google-facebook-work-from-home-2021-latest-a9505936.html?utm_source=reddit.com

If you were asked to WFH until then, would you be happy to do so would you prefer to go back to the office?

I have mixed feelings on this. In our team, we have 3 new starters that the rest of us will only meet via Microsoft Teams, it will be strange meeting them 12 months on from now.

OP posts:

Original poster

Jenasaurus · 09/05/2020 04:52

virus should be vaccine, sorry

OP posts:

miafeta · 09/05/2020 07:30

We were told the same and it works for me

OhMyDarling · 09/05/2020 07:31

Several of my friends who work in the city have been told the same.
They’ve been set up with free computers/printers etc and are saving a fortune on travel, so all of them are thrilled!

newlabelwriter · 09/05/2020 07:35

We’ve been told until September when they’ll review again. I work for a global company probably similar in size to Google so could foresee it doing similar. I’m fine WFH, I do miss the office as really like my job and colleagues but not my commute at all. I’m saving 3 hours a day being at home and £40 a week in fares.

Pootle40 · 09/05/2020 07:48

Same for me - large financial services. I'm ok with it but not home schooling beyond the short term!

SushiGo · 09/05/2020 07:48

Unofficially I have been told most of the year, but a slow transition to some people being in the office more and small face to face meetings when possible.

If it's necessary then yes it's okay but I'm not in love with the idea. I do like to be around people, and a lot of my work at the moment is very team based and it is just more difficult to do that at home.

My main worry is that this would mean schools will be closed until January too, as wfh while homeschooling is way more difficult and complicated to manage than just wfh.

Original poster

Jenasaurus · 09/05/2020 08:35

We have 2 floors over an office, with 300 staff (150 on each floor) the ones on the ground floor have to be physically in the office as there role cant be done from home. The rest of us who were on the first floor and are now working from home, have been advised that half the ground floor staff have moved up to our floor to enable them to socially distance themselves so even if we wanted to return to working in the office, we have no longer got a desk, chair etc, as they have been placed in storage and the whole layout of the office changed.

OP posts:

Peggysgettingcrazy · 09/05/2020 08:39

We have been told to expect to be at home until Christmas.

To get us back in the office, it all needs to have a layout change. To do, that we would all need to in separately to ensure all our paperwork, files that we keep for future suits are put somewhere, they won't get lost.

Thats 200 people at head office and need to do it separately.

Its just not a priority. And when it's done, its probabky going to be less than half that can fit in there.

My personal opinion, is that the company ill change their policy. WFH wasn't accepted as a normal part of working.

Now the owners have realised that, actually we can work well at home and save them money on rent.

hopeishere · 09/05/2020 08:45

There seemed to be noises about going with the gov timeline at our place but very sympathetic to individual circumstances.

Depending on what happens with schools I cannot see myself bring back in the office before October.

eurochick · 09/05/2020 08:51

I work in the City and I expect to be at home for a good while yet. For myself it's fine, although I need to carve out time for exercise as I am becoming very sedentary as work is taking over my life. However I am concerned about our trainees who learn through "osmosis" in part so I think their development won't be helped by being out of the office for so long.

marlboroughlemon · 09/05/2020 09:15

Yes, many of the best firms, like google, have already told their employers to WFH into 2021 (maybe beyond) and helped with tech investment.

It also really helps as it clears out floorspace to spread out any of the roles that absolutely have to be in-office (eg on separate floors).

Youngatheart00 · 09/05/2020 09:18

Also work in fin services and I think their view is the business is ‘functioning’ fine remotely so they are in no rush to get people back in.

As the second peak (and any subsequent) are currently unknown I honestly don’t know when I’ll next see the office or any of my colleagues. I think people will start to struggle with motivation tbh.

WelcomeToTheNorth · 09/05/2020 09:18

I don’t mind working from home as such, but it’s too hard with the kids (5 and 2) here. I couldnt sustain that until 2021, in fact I don’t think I can sustain that till September!

jcurve · 09/05/2020 09:19

If you work in a building with lifts (particularly one 6+ floors), hot desk and/or catch public transport to work, you’re statistically unlikely to be back in the office before 2021. The logistical challenges to re-populating offices are huge for most corporates

Wired4sound · 09/05/2020 09:19

No probs with WFH but I can’t do it with no childcare long term.

Hmm maybe I should invest in that extra monitor for the study

WhenItIsOver · 09/05/2020 09:24

If we work from home, we will soon have no home.

Fedup21 · 09/05/2020 09:29

DH can WFH anyway but only usually does it 2/3 days a week and goes in for meetings. All those have been done via video conferencing though since lockdown which is fine and that will continue. It’s all hot desking in the city office anyway so that won’t be allowed. It saves him a fortune in commuting cost and time.

He can sort of oversee the secondary home schooling with DC as well, if that’s going to continue.

marlboroughlemon · 09/05/2020 10:13

"If we work from home, we will soon have no home." - for many workers, @when this is simply not true and the last few weeks have evidenced that. There are fin, fin tech, legal, ac't, actuaries, loads of technical jobs whose are functioning v v well with results to show it.

Keitepeheakoe · 09/05/2020 10:41

Well, I am quite fond of not dying so wfh sounds good.

TooSadToSay · 09/05/2020 11:03

Likewise we are work from home long term (and happy with that) but collapsing due to no childcare for tiny kids!

Oblomov20 · 09/05/2020 11:34

God, I wish I worked at a big firm now.

stuckindoors77 · 09/05/2020 11:39

I hope it's something that more firms decide to continue in the long term. If the job can be done just as efficiently at home then why not? It's more flexible and therefore family friendly, better for the environment and saves money on travel. What's not to like?

TraderJoe · 09/05/2020 11:41

My husband works for another Silicon Valley tech company - not google but still a pretty big name - and they're looking at similar. It's no drama for him to work at home so he's not fussed.

NathanNathan · 09/05/2020 11:43

I wonder about the knock on of services based around people being in the locations of the offices.

So service companies for offices, catering, cleaners, places that sell lunch near them, other shops near them, pubs near them, and all the associated supply chain to all of that...

Seems like bad news economically. But equally I'm happy to not commute.

Starrynightsabove · 09/05/2020 11:44

I work at a big company in central London and I expect to be off most of the year. We hot desk so there are loads of logistical issues. I’d hope we can have certain teams go in one day a week to see each other but commuting will be the issue. Too far to walk or even really cycle.

I have a new team member I’ve only ever met by Teams - we get on like a house on fire!!

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread