Google employees were told they would need to share desks and rotate between workspaces with a deskmate, a shift reported by CNBC based on internal letters from the company. The move marks a bold step toward a denser, more flexible office life while keeping the principle of in-person collaboration at the forefront. The desk-sharing plan is designed to roll out in April 2023 across the five biggest Google campuses in the United States, including Kirkland, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Sunnyvale.
In internal communications, the arrangement is described as most staff members working at shared desks rather than private personal setups. The intent behind the rollout is for colleagues to sit at the same table on different days, creating a rhythm of shared space and activity across teams. This approach supports a hybrid model, where employees can coordinate schedules with a deskmate and with supervisors to sustain a productive and cohesive work atmosphere in the new environment.
The internal document notes that arriving on a day when a desk is assigned to someone else should not be treated as a personal violation of workspace rights. Instead, the focus is on ensuring that the office layout adapts to a dynamic workflow, with space reallocated to maximize collaboration while potentially reducing real estate needs.
Reaction among staff has varied. Some workers have pushed back, joking about the challenges of managing a shared desk and the complexities of coordinating with peers and leaders. A few echoed concerns that the stated goals of mild cost optimization and greater flexibility could come across as a justification for reduced office capacity, arguing that clearer messages from leadership would help set expectations more effectively. These conversations have circulated in internal emails and informal chats as the program takes shape.
One veteran employee, who has spent more than a decade with the company and has witnessed significant workforce changes, weighs in on the long-term implications for the IT giant. The perspective underscores how a shift to compact, shared workspaces intersects with career experience, team dynamics, and the broader strategy for talent retention in a fast-moving tech landscape.