Last month, Google made headlines when they announced the extension of their work-from-home option through July 2021. As case counts continue to grow in states, companies are re-evaluating and adapting their return to office policies to keep up with the latest public health recommendations from the CDC. While some companies started a phased return at the beginning of August, others (like Shopify, Airbnb, Facebook, Apple, Slack, and Twitter) have announced their intention to allow employees to work from home indefinitely.
Many of companies, though, have extended their return to office timeline into 2021, recognizing that a COVID vaccine will greatly increase safety within offices.
Source: AlphaSense Data, Return to Office: Remote Work & Return to Office keyword searches found in Press Releases and News
Financial institutions (UBS, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan) that were originally planning on a return after Labor Day, are now extending their timelines to late 2020 or early 2021. Tech companies continue to lead the charge toward a fully remote workforce, or, at the very least, an opt-in office culture.
Uncertainty remains
While some companies have made public commentary on their proposed return to office dates, countless others are more guarded with their approach. Some of these companies have spoken about their intention to explore the possibility for greater numbers of remote employees in the long-term or allowing for flexibility for their employees to work remotely on a more regular basis, while others have simply spoken to the continued productivity of their workforce. Morgan Stanley analyzed over 700 occupations and found that the number of people who could work from home is nearly 55% in San Francisco and ~40% in New York. The US, overall, is around 30%.
Below we’ve compiled a list of companies that have made public their return-to-work dates and a selection of commentary showcasing how leaders are speaking in uncertain terms about their return to work policies.
Q2 2020 Moody's Corp Earnings Call - 7/30
The program is COVID-19-related in that we've assessed our real estate footprint given the success during the pandemic and, of course, the degree to which we can continue to be more flexible on work-from-home arrangements post-COVID-19.
Q2 2020 Northrop Grumman Corp Earnings Call - 7/30
And now as we see new outbreaks of coronavirus in our community, we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our team. This includes flexible work schedules, teleworking, child care assistance and stringent operating protocols aligned with CDC guidelines to help protect our employees and their loved ones.
Q2 2020 Stanley Black & Decker Inc Earnings Call - 7/30
And going forward, remote and hybrid office remote work, will facilitate flexible working arrangements for our salaried people, enabling the reduction of our office real estate footprint, opening up new access to talent across the globe. And as we move forward, we will continue to have offices as activity hubs. However, there will be many associates who will continue to work remotely by choice and only be in the office when necessary or convenient.
Q2 2020 Boeing Co Earnings Call - 7/29
For all of our employees whose jobs can be done effectively from home, we continue to implement virtual working arrangements. We believe we've put effective processes in place that enable our facilities to be as safe or safer than their respective communities.
Q2 2020 Norfolk Southern Corp Earnings Call - 7/29
All employees who can work remotely continue to do so. For employees whose responsibilities require them to work on site, we are following CDC guidelines.
Q2 2020 S&P Global Inc Earnings Call - 7/28
We're still largely all working from home. We have developed plans to return to the office in a way that best suits our business and our employees when conditions permit. Because we're fortunate enough to be able to work remotely and continue to deliver the highest value to our customers, we will only move forward with these plans when we're comfortable and confident in our ability to support all of our employees and clients in a safe environment. More to come on how we were doing this.
Q2 2020 TransUnion Earnings Call - 7/28
To that end, globally, we have -- we continue to have almost every one of our 8,000 employees working from home. There's no need for us to rush back into our offices as our associates have demonstrated the flexibility to work remotely and run our business with virtually no interruption.
|
Company |
Sector |
Expected Return to Office |
Policy |
|
Goldman Sachs |
Financials |
September 2020 |
A small number of employees reported back to offices in New York, Jersey City, Dallas and Salt Lake City beginning Monday, June 22 |
|
Morgan Stanley |
Financials |
July 2020 |
Employees’ return to U.S. offices will be sometime after the the July 4 weekend. |
|
Enterprise Products Partners |
Energy |
July 2020 |
We started out the quarter with much of our headquarter staff working from home. But over the last few weeks, we've been gradually bringing our headquarters personnel back into the office and are essentially staffed at this point, fully staffed. |
|
Chubb Limited |
Financials |
July 2020 |
A substantial portion of our international staff is back in the office on any given day. This includes most of Asia Pacific where about 50% are back in the office; and in some countries, 100%; Europe, where with the exception of Spain and Italy, 25% are back. And while the U.K. remained closed, we expect about 20% to 25% to return in August. We have been ready to begin a return to office in the U.S. but took a pause, given the increase in infection rates in many parts of the country. Among developed countries in the world, the U.S. stands out in its inability to manage the health crisis on a national basis |
|
Interpublic Group of Companies |
Communication Services |
July 2020 |
Today, that is more varied, reflecting conditions that have changed in some markets more than others. Around 50% of our people in Asia are back in the office, at least some of the time; 30% to 40% in Europe; around only 10% in the U.S. and U.K.; and less than that in Lat Am. |
|
EY |
Professional Services |
September 2020 |
Offices would reopen from September 7, but on a reduced capacity basis'. |
|
AstraZeneca |
Healthcare |
September 2020 |
They will not start returning until September, when a phased approach' will begin. |
|
PwC |
Professional Services |
September 2020 |
Only around 50 per cent will have returned by the end of September under current plans. |
|
UBS |
Financials |
September 2020 |
A third of its 70,000 could go remote for good |
|
Wells Fargo |
Financials |
September 2020 |
We plan to have employees who are currently working from home continue to do so until at least September. |
|
Helen of Troy |
Consumer Discretionary |
September 2020 |
We expect those working from home to continue to do so until at least September, depending how practices -- best practices and government guidelines unfold regarding return to office environments and to travel. |
|
CDW Corp |
Information Technology |
September 2020 |
We are certainly having our team stay at home through August, and then we'll make decisions going forward. |
|
Capital One |
Financials |
September 2020 |
Capital One has reportedly told tens of thousands of its employees they'll be home at least through Labor Day |
|
HSBC |
Financials |
September 2020 |
HSBC told its employees that most staff will not return to the office before September |
|
Microsoft |
Information Technology |
October 2020 |
Plans to reopen its offices in phases starting this October, |
|
Verizon Media |
Communication Services |
October 2020 |
“As of now, most of Verizon Media’s employees in the U.S. will remain in a work from home situation through the end of September. |
|
Church & Dwight Co |
Consumer Staples |
October 2020 |
And the people who are working remotely won't be returning until October, so we kind of already made that decision. |
|
Barclays |
Financials |
October 2020 |
Other staff will continue to work remotely at least until the end of September, |
|
Snapchat |
Communication Services |
October 2020 |
The company is now telling employees they can work remotely at least through September, and it’s assessing when and how to reopen safely. |
|
Salesforce |
Information Technology |
August 2021 |
Salesforce will give all employees the option to work from home for the rest of the year, regardless of when their local office location opens up |
|
NatWest |
Financials |
January 2021 |
They will continue to work from home until 2021 because we're prioritising customer and colleague health and wellbeing.' |
|
KPMG |
Professional Services |
January 2021 |
We anticipate that the majority of our people will work from home for the majority of 2020.' |
|
The New York Times |
Communication Services |
January 2021 |
No employee will be required to return before January if they do not feel comfortable doing so, |
|
Amazon |
Information Technology |
January 2021 |
Will allow employees who can work from home to do so through Jan. 8, 2021 |
|
Apple |
Information Technology |
January 2021 |
Those working remotely should plan on doing that until 2021 |
|
Uber |
Industrials |
January 2021 |
Reportedly continue to work from home until December. |
|
Petroleo Brasileiro |
Energy |
January 2021 |
Extended its work from home (WFH) program through December 31 to protect employees from the COVID-19 virus. |
|
CNN |
Communication Services |
January 2021 |
We expect that the majority of you will not be able to return to our offices this calendar year.” |
|
Zillow |
Information Technology |
January 2021 |
Staff can work from anywhere through the end of 2020. |
|
Ford |
Industrials |
January 2021 |
For the remainder of this year, white- collar workers have the option to work remotely, in the office or a combination of both, Ford said. |
|
Mercedes-Benz |
Industrials |
January 2021 |
Mercedes-Benz USA has ordered its 875 headquarters employees to work remotely for the remainder of the year. |
|
Box |
Information Technology |
January 2021 |
Box employees will be able to work “from anywhere” until at least January of 2021. |
|
Bank of Nova Scotia |
Financials |
January 2021 |
Our head-office employees that are currently working remotely have been informed that the majority of them will continue to do so until 2021 |
|
Edison International |
Utilities |
January 2021 |
SCE remains steadfast in focusing on practices aimed at the safety and health of employees and customers. 2/3 of our 13,000 employees continue to telework, and we recently moved our earliest reentry date for them from after Labor Day to the beginning of next year. |
|
Alphabet |
Communication Services |
July 2021 |
We are extending our global voluntary work from home option through June 30, 2021 for roles that don't need to be in the office |
|
Slack |
Information Technology |
2021 |
Does not have a date for when offices will reopen for limited use. In the meantime, most of its employees can now work from home permanently. |
|
|
Communication Services |
2021 |
Will allow its employees to work from home “forever” |
|
Square |
Information Technology |
2021 |
Will allow its employees to work from home “forever” |
|
|
Communication Services |
2021 |
Anyone who can work from home is welcome to do so at least through 2020,” and that in 10 years, he expects 50% of his company’s workforce to be remote. |
|
Shopify |
Information Technology |
2021 |
Offices will be closed until 2021 and after that, most employees will be remote in a permanent capacity. |
|
Openheimer Holdings |
Financials |
2021 |
We currently anticipate that a large number of our employees will continue to work remotely for the indefinite future. |
|
Stanley Black & Decker |
Industrials |
Return by choice |
And as we move forward, we will continue to have offices as activity hubs. However, there will be many associates who will continue to work remotely by choice and only be in the office when necessary or convenient. |
|
Laurentian Bank of Canada |
Financials |
2021 |
More than 70% of our workforce continues to productively work from home, where most will remain into 2021. |
|
Ford Motor Co |
Industrials |
January 2021 |
The company has said that people whose work is not "place dependent" may work remotely until January. |
|
United Communications Partners Inc |
Communication Services |
August 2020 |
Staff has been returning to the office - after working from home - now in August. |
|
Invonto |
Information Technology |
September 2021 |
Tech Company Invonto Extends Coronavirus Work-From-Home to September 2021 |
|
Airbnb |
Travel and Hospitality |
August 2021 |
The company is letting its employees work remotely until August 2021 if they so choose. |
|
National Westminster Bank |
Financials |
2021 |
Most not expected to return to the office until next year. A spokesman said: We told colleagues they will continue to work from home until 2021 - because we're prioritising customer and colleague health and wellbeing.' |
|
Upwork |
Information Technology |
2021 |
“Building on our 20 years of experience as a remote work company, we are now permanently embracing a ‘remote-first’ model. |
|
Coinbase |
Financials |
2021 |
Coinbase is “moving to a remote-first policy in light of COVID-19, meaning most employees will have the option to work from home.” |