It’s back to the office for some Google employees.
The company is reopening its California offices on a voluntary basis starting.
This is a key step as Google prepares to require most workers to return to the office at least three days a week starting in September.
For now, the tech giant won’t require workers to be vaccinated but those who provide proof can remove their masks in the office.
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The company said unvaccinated employees or those who don’t provide verification will need to wear a mask in the office and get a weekly COVID-19 test.
The offices won’t have capacity limits or require social distancing and Google plans to gradually bring back signature perks like free food.
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In May, Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted that he expected 60% of the workers to come into the office a few days a week. While 20% tor the works are going to switch to work in a new office location and another 20% are going to be fully remote.
A Microsoft survey of 30,000 workers found 73% of them say they want remote work options to stay.
“We just called this the hybrid paradox people want to get back together in person but at the same time they also want that flexibility that they enjoyed for over a year and a half now,” said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president of Microsoft.
To accommodate a hybrid workspace, San Francisco tech company Envoy is making changes to its software to help employees complete health screenings and book a time to use a desk in the office.
Envoy CEO Larry Gadea said companies hired more people than they have thus far.
"What happens if you can’t bring everybody back at once? You have to kind of share the resources that you have in the same way. You would have maybe a meeting room in the past," he said.
Google employees told NBC Bay Area there are some special events planned Monday to welcome employees back into the office.
