Google’s warning message to some remote workers: Come back to office or lose your…

Google

Google is tightening its stance on remote work, warning some staffers that their jobs may be at risk unless they return to the office. The shift marks a growing push across tech to reclaim in-person work as pandemic-era flexibility fades — and it’s becoming a key part of cost-cutting at the company.

According to a report by CNBC, several Google divisions have informed remote employees—some of whom were previously approved to work from home—that they must adopt a hybrid schedule or take a voluntary exit. In some cases, relocation support is being offered to those willing to move within 50 miles of an office.

The change comes as Google looks to trim expenses while ramping up investments in AI infrastructure and talent. The company has already carried out targeted job cuts since its larger layoffs in 2023, and in early 2025 began offering voluntary buyouts to certain US-based staff.

Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini told CNBC that said decisions are being made at the team level, not via a sweeping policy. “In-person collaboration is an important part of how we innovate and solve complex problems,” she said.

One of the most affected groups is People Operations, Google’s HR unit. Employees within 50 miles of an office must shift to hybrid work by June or face job loss. In Google Technical Services, staff are being told to relocate or exit.

While Google says remote work wasn’t the driving force behind all recent job cuts, co-founder Sergey Brin has made his position clear. In a February memo to AI teams, he urged employees to return full-time, calling 60-hour weeks the “sweet spot of productivity.”

The pressure signals a shift not just in workplace norms but in Google’s broader strategic priorities — less pandemic-era flexibility, more AI-driven urgency.