Although the covid-19 pandemic is still furious Globally, large technology companies seem to be encouraged by Recently development in the last few months and they take the first steps to get their workers back to the office.
In this week, Uber and Facebook they announced deadlines for a small percentage of the workforce to return to some of the company’s headquarters. Uber will reopen its Mission Bay offices in San Francisco on Monday, with a 20% occupancy, while Facebook plans to reopen certain offices in the Bay Area, continuously, starting in May, with a maximum capacity of up to 10% . Microsoft will also open its headquarters in Redmond, Washington and nearby campuses, on a limited Monday.
Returning to the office will be voluntary at Uber, Facebook and Microsoft at this time.
Uber spokesman Lois Van Der Laan told Gizmodo on Saturday that as cities carefully return to a new normal, so will Uber. The return to the office will be done voluntarily, she said, adding that Uber’s work at home police has been extended until Sept. 13.
Van Der Lann said the company’s reopening protocols are in line with public health guidelines.
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“Our office reopening protocols meet (or exceed) global, national and local public health guidelines and are developed in partnership with public health experts and health and safety partners,” she said in an email. “Employees returning to work must complete virtual training, sign a COVID-19 Precautions and Confirmation form, and perform a daily health check (including temperature check) at home to qualify for return.”
Other measures in place include safety signs, social distance signs, about two meters (6 meters) of office space and mandatory face coverings during the initial reopening phase. Uber is also stepping up its office cleaning services and says employees with symptoms or who have sick family members should stay home. When it comes to vaccines, Uber told Gizmodo that they will not be a requirement at this stage of reopening.
Facebook told Gizmodo on Saturday that it is moving from a single global paper from home to a site-by-site approach. The company said employees were offered the option to work from home until July 2, and that after that date, any employee who is not a full-time remote worker can continue to work from home for up to a month after the office opens. at 50% capacity.
According to Facebook, the latest data suggests that the earliest company will be able to open the largest sites with a capacity of 50% after September 7.
“The health and safety of our employees and neighbors in our community is our top priority and we are taking a measured approach to reopening offices,” Facebook spokeswoman Chloe Meyere told Gizmodo. “As we return to the office, we have a number of safety protocols at our disposal, including the physical distance and masks needed at any time in the office and, where possible, weekly testing requirements for anyone working on site. We will continue to work with experts to ensure that returning to office plans gives priority to everyone’s health and safety. ”
Many of the Facebook offices, depending on where they are, are in a different phase of reopening. To determine how and when to reopen, the company mainly analyzes local health data, especially local case rates, vaccination rates and local access to testing and therapy, among other factors.
As for vaccination, Facebook will not ask employees to receive the vaccine to return to the office at this time. The company says the vaccine is safe and encourages employees to receive the vaccine whenever they become eligible. He had recently launched an instrument to help people find out where and when they can get vaccinated.
Microsoft Executive Vice President Kurt DelBene said in a blog post the fact that Microsoft work sites in 21 countries have managed to host additional workers in their facilities. Employees who work at these sites represent about 20% of the company’s overall workforce. In the future, the company will focus on a hybrid job model.
As for his office in Redmond, DelBene said Microsoft has been monitoring local health data for months and has determined that the office can safely accommodate more employees on the spot, while respecting Washington’s capacity limits.
“As we track progress against the virus in the region and continue to assess our guidance, employees working at work sites in Redmond or nearby campuses have the opportunity to return to those facilities or continue to work remotely, and they also have the flexibility to mix the two, ”DelBene wrote.
He said Microsoft has assessed all its workplaces to understand what adjustments are needed to allow for social distancing and meet local health standards. Employees on site will be provided with consumables such as disinfection wipes and face wrap. Microsoft also has limited capacity in conference rooms, implemented participation strategies, and posted signs in common areas to ensure social distancing, among other measures.
Gizmodo contacted Microsoft on Saturday for comments on the need for vaccinations for its workers returning to the office, but we did not hear until publication. We will make sure we update this blog if we do.
As for other large technology companies, reported the Virgin that Google’s plans to return to the office are uncertain at this time. In 2020, Google said would allow employees to work from home until September this year. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in December that it looks like most teams will not return to office until June 2021, per Bloomberg. Twitter and SpotifyIn the meantime, allow employees to work permanently from home, if they wish.