Employees At Google Asked To Share Desks As Google Downsizes Its Office

Citing “real estate efficiency,” Google is asking cloud employees and partners to share their desks and decide on alternate days when they and their deskmates are in the office starting next quarter.

The new desk-sharing model applies to Google Cloud’s five most significant US locations: Kirkland, Washington; New York City; San Francisco; Seattle; and Sunnyvale, California, so the company can “continue to invest in cloud growth,” according to internal questions recently shared with cloud employees. The document states that many buildings will be vacated as a result.

“Most Googlers will now share a desk with one other Googler,” stated the internal document. “Through the matching process, they will agree on a basic desk setup and establish norms with their desk partner and teams to ensure a positive experience in the new shared environment,” the document read. “The new workspace plan is not a temporary pilot. This will ultimately lead to more efficient use of our space,” the document said.

“Since returning to the office, we’ve run pilots and conducted surveys with Cloud employees to explore different hybrid work models and help shape the best experience. Our data show Cloud Googlers value guaranteed in-person collaboration when they are in the office, as well as the option to work from home a few days each week. With this feedback, we’ve developed our new rotational model, combining the best of pre-pandemic collaboration with the flexibility and focus we’ve all come to appreciate from remote work, while also allowing us to use our spaces more efficiently,” said a Google spokesperson.

Visit us at: www.thespeednews.com