Google to remote workers: Return 3 days a week—or lose your job

Just a week after Google laid off hundreds in its Android, Pixel, and Chrome units amid a strategic shift to AI, the company is now tightening the screws on remote workers—many of whom were previously cleared to work from home.

According to a report by CNBC, citing internal documents, several Google teams have told remote employees that their jobs may be at risk unless they return to the office at least three days a week. The message is direct: embrace the hybrid schedule or take a voluntary exit package.

This marks a clear shift in tone from the early pandemic days, when Google led the charge into flexible work. Now, the pendulum is swinging the other way, especially as tech companies refocus on efficiency and margins. For remote employees who relocated far from urban hubs, the new policy could mean uprooting again—this time under pressure.

This shift comes as more companies, especially in tech, start walking back remote work privileges that became the norm during the pandemic. For Google employees who moved away from major office hubs, the new stance could mean having to relocate again, or leave.

Google is Forcing Some Remote Workers to Come Back 3 Days a Week or Lose Their Jobs

According to CNBC, staff in Google Technical Services were told they’ll need to live within 50 miles of an office or accept a voluntary exit. The company is even offering paid relocation to help smooth the transition—but the message is still clear: come in, or you’re out.

“Several units within Google have notified remote workers that their jobs will be in jeopardy if they don’t show up at the office three days a week,” CNBC reported

Employees in Google’s HR arm, known as People Operations, are under a similar mandate. Those within commuting distance have until June to return in-person on a hybrid schedule or face role elimination. Those who live further out can stay remote—for now—but if they want to apply for a new position within the company, office attendance will be mandatory.

All of this comes as Google keeps trimming costs and shifting more resources into AI infrastructure and hiring. The company has been cutting across teams since 2023, and its workforce has already dropped from 190,000 to around 183,000 employees.

Sergey Brin, Google’s co-founder, added more fuel to the office fire earlier this year. In a memo to AI workers, he said the “sweet spot of productivity” is 60 hours a week, in person. That tone reflects Google’s growing urgency to compete in the AI arms race.

The return-to-office policy isn’t officially companywide—at least not yet. Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said it’s up to individual teams. “To support this, some teams have asked remote employees who live near an office to return to in-person work three days a week,” Mencini told CNBC.

Still, internal memos suggest this is more than a suggestion.

In February, HR chief Fiona Cicconi announced a voluntary exit program for U.S.-based employees in People Operations. A similar offer was extended in January to workers in the Platforms and Devices group, which includes Android, Chrome, Fitbit, and Nest. That unit alone has made cuts across nearly two dozen teams so far this year.

Remote status wasn’t officially cited as a reason for layoffs, but based on the tone of internal emails, it certainly played a part.

Earlier this year, Google merged its Android team with the hardware group under SVP Rick Osterloh. In January, Osterloh acknowledged that not everyone would be able to adjust to the new hybrid schedule and offered the exit plan as an alternative.

Mencini said the combined unit is trying to “operate more effectively,” and that includes trimming roles. At the same time, she said, the company is still hiring both in the U.S. and abroad.

So far, Google hasn’t made it a blanket policy—but if you’re a remote Googler within 50 miles of an office, you may want to start packing a lunch.