Despite employees' preference for remote work, the tech giant is building more offices in California
Google has announced plans to invest approximately $9.5 billion in offices and data centers throughout the United States in 2022. Along with these investments, the Mountain View, CA-based juggernaut expects to create at least 12,000 full-time jobs by the end of the year, the company announced in a blog post.
“In California, we’ll continue to invest in our offices and support affordable housing initiatives in the Bay Area as part of our $1 billion housing commitment,” Sundar Pichai wrote on Google’s blog.
The tech giant is building two massive offices in Mountain View next to and near the company’s iconic Googleplex. Meanwhile, the company is pushing ahead with significant expansions in Sunnyvale and San Jose, which include a new mixed-use neighborhood of offices, homes, shops and restaurants in San Jose’s central business district called Downtown West, The Mercury News reported.
As Google shifts to running offices and data centers on carbon-free energy by 2030, the company aims to set new standards for green building design, including pursuing certification through the International Living Future Institute for buildings like its new office in Sunnyvale, CA.
Read more: Google’s hybrid work policy isn’t popular amongst employees
“It might seem counterintuitive to step up our investment in physical offices even as we embrace more flexibility in how we work,” Sundar Pichai wrote on Google’s blog. “Yet, we believe it’s more important than ever to invest in our campuses and that doing so will make for better products, a greater quality of life for our employees, and stronger communities.”
Earlier this month, Google adopted a hybrid work model, requiring many U.S. employees to come into the office three days a week. It’s not a popular policy, though, according to a survey of 1,097 verified Google professionals in the U.S. from the anonymous professional social network Blind. About two-thirds of Google employees are dissatisfied with the tech giant’s plans and 34% said they are considering looking for another job because of the return-to-office strategy.
On the surface, it appears that the company is making the transition as smooth as possible. After all, Google is allowing employees to request an exemption to continue working remotely full-time. Furthermore, the company is no longer requiring U.S. workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. However, unvaccinated staffers must still wear masks and get tested for COVID-19 weekly if they are returning to the office.
Plus, the company is restarting its in-office amenities and employee benefits, including access to dining areas, fitness centers, game rooms and lounges, free shuttles and massages. Also, Google has increased benefits for full-time employees throughout the world.
In addition to announcing its investment plans, Google released its 2021 Economic Impact Report, which reflects the company’s wider contribution to the economy. The report shows Google helped provide $617 billion in economic activity for millions of American businesses, nonprofits, creators, developers and publishers last year. Plus, the Android app economy helped create nearly two million jobs last year.
Over the past five years, Google has invested more than $37 billion in offices and data centers in 26 states, creating over 40,000 full-time jobs. That’s in addition to the more than $40 billion in research and development invested in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021.
