The current job landscape has gone haywire! While some tech giants are adopting hybrid approaches, others are embracing extreme flexibility to the surprise of workers. All thanks to the pandemic (in a sarcastic tone)!
As the worldwide vaccination drive is going in full swing, tech companies are announcing their revised office policies. Despite the plans, they fear losing out on talented employees to rivals offering more liberal work-from-home policies. The same has impacted the work policies of many and put others in a dilemma.
Though there’s nothing to worry about. It’s like with the gambling industry: earlier, we had only land-based casinos, but then, online casinos like the Vulkan Vegas casino started to dominate the scene, and other entertainment services moved to online hubs.
After all, let’s not forget that the delta variant has spread across the world, and given the situation, companies do not want their workers to fall sick, nor do they want to press them to attend office. We have companies following either the hybrid model or the extremely flexible work-from-home policies. Let’s check them out and the reasons underpinning their decisions.
The Hybrid Model: Splitting Time between Office & Home
This approach to post-pandemic work refers to dividing the days of the week between remote and on-site work. Now, let’s check out how many of them are planning to execute this model.
1. Amazon
Though the tech giant had earlier proposed a work-centric culture, it soon shifted to operating on-site 3-days a week and the rest of the days remotely from home. This decision was an outcome of employees pushing back the policy.
2. Uber
This cab company, which also specializes in offering food delivery services, plans to implement the combination of remote and in-person operations from September onwards. The thought process behind it is some company that also specializes in offering cab services plans to implement the combination of remote and in-person work from September onwards. The thought process is somewhat like this – employees perform the best when they stay connected to their co-workers.
3. Google
Google, on the contrary, has been first in the list of companies instructing their employees to re-join office only after proper vaccination. This step was taken due to the spread of the delta variant across the country. Currently, the CEO has joined the league of other tech companies by following a 3-2 plan, whereby employees shall have to attend office at least 3 days a week.
4. Apple
Apple follows suit but has shifted the implementation date from September to October after experiencing some backlashes from its employees.
Remote Working
Now, some companies have no plans of reopening offices but wish to continue the work-from-home regime. They are the following:
1. Slack
Just as Slack’s products are designed to facilitate remote collaboration, the mode of operation has followed suit. However, it is open to having real get-togethers for team-building, project launches, and similar special occasions.
2. Twitter
This social networking company is quite supportive when the matter concerns its employees. It has agreed to employees splitting time between office and work or remote work for an indefinite period.
3. Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, is somewhat optimistic about the performance of his employees, irrespective of location. Therefore, he is not pressuring them to re-join the office in September as long as the job allows them to complete the tasks remotely. However, he is forecasting a full capacity by October.
50-50 Split
Some offices, on the contrary, have agreed to employees dedicating half of their time to the office and the other half working from home. Let’s check which are those.
1. Adobe
For the time being, Adobe expects a combination of virtual and physical presence to drive performance and collaboration at the same time. Over time, it plans to double its workforce and normalize everything.
2. Microsoft
Microsoft has stepped into the ‘soft-open’ phase across the States. However, it has confessed to reviewing the situation in different locations before suggesting dates when the office would recommence. Even when it does resume, the company expects its members to split the shift timing between home and office.
3. DoorDash
Though this delivery app company has officially kept its shutters down till January 2021, it’s entertaining employees who have chosen to visit the office in person for work. Next year onwards, it plans to adopt a hybrid model with employees splitting their time between work-from-home and in-office work.
It’s hard to forecast the scenario in September-October. If Covid cases slacken a bit, tech giants shall adopt a mix-and-match approach to conducting office. However, it will be wrong to only pinpoint a hybrid model. Many have been thoughtful enough to stick to full-time remote working unless the world shifts to normal times.
