NEW DELHI: Google is taking measures to enforce a stricter attendance policy in its ongoing efforts to encourage employees to return to physical offices and ensure consistent remote work practices. The company’s updated hybrid work policy, disclosed through internal memos, includes several initiatives such as monitoring office badge attendance, addressing non-compliance with attendance expectations, and incorporating attendance records into employees’ performance evaluations. The policy mandates that most employees should be physically present in offices for at least three days a week.
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In an email to employees, Fiona Cicconi, Google’s chief people officer, emphasized the significance of in-person collaboration, stating that there is no substitute for being physically together. Cicconi highlighted the positive outcomes that arise from working side by side, citing recent product developments unveiled at I/O and Google Marketing Live as prime examples. Under the updated policy, employees’ presence in the office for three days per week will be taken into account during their performance evaluations, and reminders will be sent to those consistently absent.
Google is also encouraging remote workers residing near a Google office to consider transitioning to a hybrid work schedule, highlighting the advantages of being actively engaged in Google’s community within physical workspaces. Remote workers who were previously approved may face re-evaluation based on changes in business needs, roles, teams, structures, or locations.
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Within the United States, Google plans to periodically monitor office attendance using badge data, while exploring the possibility of implementing similar measures in other countries in accordance with local requirements. Employees failing to adhere to the attendance policy over an extended period can anticipate intervention from the human resources department.
As Google actively navigates the competitive landscape and an AI-driven arms race, the company has also intensified its efforts to protect intellectual property and maintain confidentiality by cracking down on internal leaks. Simultaneously, Google is downsizing its real estate footprint as part of broader cost-cutting measures, opting for shared workspaces and suspending construction on select projects.
