Google offers discounted rates at on-campus hotel to encourage employees to return to office
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Mountain View: As companies around the world are urging their employees to return to the workplace after the pandemic, Google has come up with a unique incentive to lure its staff back to the office.
The tech giant is now offering a "Summer Special" program that allows employees to stay at an on-campus hotel for a discounted rate of around $99 per day (approximately ₹ 8,190), reported CNBC. The offer aims to make the transition to the hybrid workplace more appealing to Googlers.
The discounted hotel stay is available until September 30 and is part of Google's efforts to encourage its employees to embrace the idea of a hybrid work model, combining both remote and in-office work. The hotel, which is situated on Google's Mountain View campus, can accommodate up to 4,000 employees.
The promotion highlights the perks of staying at the on-campus hotel, such as eliminating the daily commute, allowing for an extra hour of sleep, and providing easy access to breakfast and workouts before work starts. However, some employees have expressed reservations about the offer, as $99 per night could add up to around $3,000 per month, making it less attractive as a long-term housing solution.
Despite the mixed response from employees, Google spokesperson Ryan Lamont clarified to The Verge that the company regularly offers accommodation specials to its staff for various purposes. The discounts are part of the regular Perks email, which also includes other service and entertainment options.
Google has been advocating for a return to the office since April 2022 when it introduced the three-days-a-week mandate. However, like many other companies, it is navigating the challenges of convincing employees to embrace a return to the office setting after months of remote work.
Similarly, Zoom has recently asked its employees to return to the office for the first time since the pandemic began. Under a hybrid schedule, the company requested all employees within a 50-mile radius of a company office to work in person at least two days a week.
