Sundar Pichai's Google issues warning to these employees over..., tells them to leave or...
Google Warns Its Employees: For some months, the American multinational technology company Google has been trying to end its Work From Home policy by tightening its return-to-office norms across several divisions. The company wants its remote employees who live within 50 miles to come to the office and work on-site at least three days per week. Employees who act stubborn and ignore this directive may face potential job loss. The tech giant has broadened its restructuring efforts, offering voluntary severance packages to US employees in several key departments, including search, marketing, research, and core engineering. The New Policy To Affect These Employees
The new policy affects employees in Google's Knowledge & Information division, which houses Search, ads and commerce operations, as well as Core engineering teams. Remote workers who live within 50 miles of approved Google offices must now transition to a hybrid 3-day schedule by September or accept severance packages.'When it comes to connection, collaboration, and moving quickly to innovate together, there's just no substitute for coming together in person,' said Jen Fitzpatrick, Senior Vice President of Core Systems, in an internal memo obtained by multiple outlets.
The return to office policy is going to affect employees working in Google's Knowledge & Information division, which looks after Search, ads and commerce operations and Core engineering teams. Remote workers who are living under a 50 miles radius have to come to office for on-site work for at least three days or accept severance packages. This policy will come in force by September.
Jen Fitzpatrick, Senior Vice President of Core Systems, in an internal memo, said, 'When it comes to connection, collaboration, and moving quickly to innovate together, there's just no substitute for coming together in person.' Push In-Person Collaboration Strategy
Google's Knowledge & Information group head Nick Fox talked about the company's focus on having fully engaged workforce, while also providing a voluntary exit program for employees who are underperforming or misaligned with the company's strategic direction.
'My goal is for every single one of us here to be all-in on building the future of our products,' Fox's memo to staff read.
'This VEP offers a supportive exit path for those of you who don't feel aligned with our strategy, don't feel energized by your work, or are having difficulty meeting the expectations of your role,' the memo further read. Google's To Eliminate Remote Work Culture
The announcement was made as a part of Google's ongoing efforts to reduce remote work flexibility. In April 2025, the company started informing remote workers in various divisions to start working from office or face elimination.
Following 2023 layoffs affecting 12,000 employees, Google initiated selective employee buyout programs in early 2025. Concurrently, the company is hiring while restructuring to prioritize AI development and infrastructure, excluding certain divisions—DeepMind, Google Cloud, YouTube, and core advertising sales—from these buyout initiatives. However, YouTube is separately mandating a return to the office for some nearby remote workers.
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