With the uncertainty of the pandemic, the microblogging website Twitter announced that its employees were allowed to permanently WFH even after the coronavirus lockdown comes to an end.
No, they didn’t mean it in a sarcastic way. The SanFrancisco-based company confirmed that it was unlikely to open its offices by September.
Twitter claims that it was one of the first company’s to resort to telework in March as a precautionary method of the health crisis. A spokesperson further indicated that they will continue to follow that policy indefinitely, they mentioned:
Opening offices will be our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs. With very few exceptions, offices won’t open before September. When we do decide to open offices, it also won’t be a snap back to the way it was before. It will be careful, intentional, office by office and gradual.
Further lauding their employees for successfully delivering even during the lockdown, the spokesperson further added:
If our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen.
Netizen’s reaction to this news is epic:
Facebook and Google say you can WFH all year… and Twitter says actually, you can WFH forever. https://t.co/r4j2oiQGLR
— Sarah Frier (@sarahfrier) May 12, 2020
WFH is a nice but given the choice between spending my day in a small overpriced downtown condo and a fancy office with free food and gourmet coffee I’d chose the latter. But everyone’s situation is diff
— Chris Parrott (@christoparrott) May 13, 2020
There is empowerment and agency in having the choice to work from home. It provides better work life balance.
— TD Lowe (@TD_Lowe) May 12, 2020
This will make @Twitter more attractive to workers and give @jack the advantage to be able to build a more diverse, inclusive company.
Kudos.
But what if I don’t wanna work forever
— Joseph Fenity (@fenity) May 13, 2020
Will the company offset employees additional expenses such as electricity, heating and Internet access? 🙂🤷♂️
— Simon Zerafa (@SimonZerafa) May 12, 2020
Will they reimburse all employees for their now missed free snacks and lunch?
— Kenneth Baer (@KennethBaer) May 12, 2020