Google and Facebook are the latest in an increasing list of companies that are seeking partial reopening of their offices. Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB) CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed that all of his employees would work from home until a partial reopening by 6 July. The multistage reopening would allow a few workers to use the offices while the rest work at home. Zuckerberg reiterated Facebook’s desire to honor the directives put in place by public health agencies as well as government guidance.
Normal working could resume in 2021
On its part, Google had plans to reopen fully by 1 June. Nevertheless, the changing reality of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the company’s management to reconsider the plans. According to a Bloomberg report, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet Inc., Google parent company, assured employees they would work from home “possibly to the end of the year.” The announcement is a confirmation that Alphabet will rescind an earlier directive that anticipated opening of offices by June.
Like Facebook, Google is considering a multistage reopening of its offices. As per Bloomberg, Pichai hopes to open Google’s offices to about 15% of its workers by June. Currently, just 5% of the employees are working on site. According to Pichai, Google intends to comply fully with the social-distancing guidelines installed by government authorities. Certainly, more workforce will return as the safety guidelines continue to relax, Pichai reportedly told employees.
Tesla cannot afford to operate like Google and Facebook
These tech giants have their main offices in California, whose COVID-19 infection rate is among the highest in the country. However, certain parts of the state, such as LA County, are already in the process of relaxing stay-at-home rules. On Wednesday 6 May, the LA County officials initiated “modest first steps toward easing stay-at-home orders,” according to LA Times.
But not all companies are willing or able to allow employees to work from home. In Alameda County, Tesla has vowed to defy the shelter-in-place rules to reopen its factories. On Monday 11 May, Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, tweeted that his company would reopen production despite the health guidelines. Musk has previously voiced his frustrations against the health guidelines terming them anti-freedom. If things do not change, Tesla will move its corporate headquarters away from California, Musk warned.
