“Fun to be had! Fun. To. Be. Had!” Todd Zanzinger crowed to an audience of remote tech workers on Zoom. It was the opening ceremony of an information technology company’s virtual Olympics, and music blared as Zanzinger, whose Zoom display name read “Hype Guy Todd,” walked 69 teams of co-workers through the rules of lip sync karaoke.

In the world of tech companies, off-site retreats were once the stuff of legend: a Beyoncé concert for Uber employees in Las Vegas. A lavish summer camp for WeWork employees in the English countryside. Parties that lasted all night. Friendships that lasted forever.

During the pandemic, they have taken a turn for the tamer: remote trivia. Virtual escape room. Three more hours on Zoom. “You’re on mute.”

Many organizations, especially high-growth tech companies, have long relied on off-site retreats — broadly defined as team-building or strategizing events that occur beyond the scope of regular office work — to build and maintain their corporate culture, as well as to present workers with an attractive perk in a competitive labor market.

When the pandemic hit, flights, hotel blocks and banquet dinners were canceled. But instead of shelving the idea of off-sites, which often involve both meetings and social activities, companies strove to re-create the magic remotely. Companies planned events online, and in recent months, some have crept back into in-person and hybrid events. Although it is much less expensive to gather on Zoom than it is to fly workers to a beach, many companies have plans to rebook those hotel blocks and try to meet up in person again this year.

Why, in a time when many workers are not on site to begin with, are bosses pushing so hard to retain the off-site, a concept that by definition depended on going somewhere else?

Managers are betting that off-sites will help their workers feel invested even when a remote job can feel like little more than an abstracted paycheck. During the pandemic, the tech industry, famed for its luxurious offices and no-expense-spared parties, lost key elements of the signature in-person culture that set Silicon Valley apart. Big tech companies like Facebook have announced that many employees can work from home indefinitely. In January, nearly half of workers employed in the computer or math fields said they had worked from home at some point because of the pandemic, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Bosses with growing teams and a lot on their plates have landed on off-sites as way to build culture and retain workers. Hanmei Wu, co-founder and CEO of Empowerly, a tech company with about 40 full-time remote workers around the world, said she would advise founders with struggling teams that an off-site “could be a fantastic opportunity to reinvigorate them and motivate them — and realign them with your mission or values.”

Off-sites help companies convey messages efficiently to many employees, build trust among workers and make the staff feel treated well without paying them extra. So managers are hanging on for dear life. Off-sites are not just about leaving the office. They are about breaking up daily routines that, after nearly two pandemic years, can feel monotonous.

But Google Hangouts is no team trip to Hawaii. Faced with the prospect of planning an engaging suite of activities for a remote or hybrid workforce, managers have rushed to consultants for help executing off-sites.

“The trajectory of our businesses has been crazy since March 2020,” said Mat MacDonell, CEO of the Offsite Co., which primarily plans events for startups. (Zanginger works for him.) He added, “We’ve been in hyper growth mode.”

Bob Frisch, founding partner of the Strategic Offsites Group in Boston, whose company focuses on executive retreats for corporations, said, “We’ve had our busiest two years we’ve ever had,” partly because many leaders are stumped about how to plan a viable virtual event without outside help.

Facilitators like Zanzinger show up equipped with activities, costumes and playlists. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Zanzinger, this time in the role of Ranger Todd, coached a group of tech recruiters through a virtual escape room. The co-workers, in teams of four, solved word and math puzzles in breakout rooms on Zoom.

One woman arrived in her breakout room — just a smaller Zoom — to announce that this activity was, to be honest, not her favorite. She conceded, however, that it is nice to socialize with colleagues that she cannot see in person. A co-worker chimed in that Zooms could never replace in-person events, while a third said it was her second day at the job. They gamely tackled a puzzle together and laughed about a viral clip of a child saying, “I smell like beef.” Their team did not ultimately win.

Some workers enjoy these retreats and even organize them. Genesis Bonds, 27, a software engineer in New York, planned a virtual escape room to boost morale on her team. She said she and another engineer sat down to try to plan something new — after months of virtual happy hours — that would get people excited to work together even if they were not going to be in the same place anytime soon. It was not on the same level as the in-person summit for Black employees that she had attended in 2019, which she said was “fantastic,” but the escape room went well. She said that she enjoyed getting to know co-workers beyond formal interactions in meetings.

Many find remote work to be more transactional than in-person work. You Slack someone when you need something and otherwise stare at your own screen in your own home. Managers see off-sites as a way to make remote work feel more personal.

Laura Burkhauser, a product manager at Twitter in San Francisco, planned a hybrid off-site in January to help her team build what she called “that elusive rapport.” In May 2020, Twitter told its employees that they could continue to work from home permanently. Burkhauser, whose team included workers in London and New York, said “off-sites are more important than ever in a time of virtual work” because it is easier to trust and communicate with remote co-workers when you actually know them.

If many tech workers and executives agree that there is some value in off-site retreats, even when they are held remotely, how to execute them is much more tricky.

Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab and co-founder of Strivr, a virtual reality startup, called the idea of doing a multiday retreat with back-to-back meetings “insanity — and I’m going to use that word not lightly.” He added, “You can’t just talk at someone for 36 hours and expect the brain to absorb it.” He recently published a paper on Zoom fatigue, and he said that “Zoom is like a fire hose. You’re getting flooded with nonverbal cues.”

Then there is the question of how to actually spend your time together on an off-site. Wu said her startup’s recent off-site in Napa, California, which the Offsite Co. planned, was mainly social. She knows that in-demand software engineers, in particular, can easily quit and take different jobs. “So,” she said, “you want to really create an environment where people are stoked to be there, believe in the company, like the people they work with and aren’t just going to jump ship.”

Meghana Reddy, a human resources executive in Oakland, California, said that while off-sites used to be “nice to have,” during the pandemic they became “a must-have.” She said that for tech companies that want to attract talent, investing in off-sites “will be a better use of money than trying to get people back in the office.” Some companies are already giving up their offices and diverting facilities budgets into off-sites. Hunter Block, the founder of Offsiter, said he knew of a large company that is planning more than 600 off-sites a year for smaller teams of employees.

Bailenson, who wrote on Zoom fatigue, would advise that, whatever companies do to amp up their off-site plans, they should not lean too heavily on video chats.

“If I were running a retreat,” he said, “we would be doing some Zoom. We’d be doing some audio-only stuff, some screen-sharing stuff. And then we would go into VR. We’d go into VR, and we’d do something really special.” He recommends gathering in virtual reality for bursts of five or 10 minutes at a time.

Reddy said the VR tech she used for a virtual off-site last year “was definitely not ready for prime time.” Although, she added approvingly, a virtual gathering around a campfire was “just as awkward as in real life.”

The Offsite Co., for one, has not yet done an in-person retreat for its staff. But like many of its clients, it has one in the pipeline for 2023.

“Fun to be had! Fun. To. Be. Had!” Todd Zanzinger crowed to an audience of remote tech workers on Zoom. It was the opening ceremony of an information technology company’s virtual Olympics, and music blared as Zanzinger, whose Zoom display name read “Hype Guy Todd,” walked 69 teams of co-workers through the rules of lip sync karaoke.

“Fun to be had! Fun. To. Be. Had!” Todd Zanzinger crowed to an audience of remote tech workers on Zoom. It was the opening ceremony of an information technology company’s virtual Olympics, and music blared as Zanzinger, whose Zoom display name read “Hype Guy Todd,” walked 69 teams of co-workers through the rules of lip sync karaoke. In the world of tech companies, off-site retreats were once the stuff of legend: a Beyoncé concert for Uber employees in Las Vegas. A lavish summer camp for WeWork employees in the English countryside. Parties that lasted all night. Friendships that lasted forever. During the pandemic, they have taken a turn for the tamer: remote trivia. Virtual escape room. Three more hours on Zoom. “You’re on mute.” Many organizations, especially high-growth tech companies, have long relied on off-site retreats — broadly defined as team-building or strategizing events that occur beyond the scope of regular office work — to build and maintain their corporate culture, as well as to present workers with an attractive perk in a competitive labor market. When the pandemic hit, flights, hotel blocks and banquet dinners were canceled. But instead of shelving the idea of off-sites, which often involve both meetings and social activities, companies strove to re-create the magic remotely. Companies planned events online, and in recent months, some have crept back into in-person and hybrid events. Although it is much less expensive to gather on Zoom than it is to fly workers to a beach, many companies have plans to rebook those hotel blocks and try to meet up in person again this year. Why, in a time when many workers are not on site to begin with, are bosses pushing so hard to retain the off-site, a concept that by definition depended on going somewhere else? Managers are betting that off-sites will help their workers feel invested even when a remote job can feel like little more than an abstracted paycheck. During the pandemic, the tech industry, famed for its luxurious offices and no-expense-spared parties, lost key elements of the signature in-person culture that set Silicon Valley apart. Big tech companies like Facebook have announced that many employees can work from home indefinitely. In January, nearly half of workers employed in the computer or math fields said they had worked from home at some point because of the pandemic, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Bosses with growing teams and a lot on their plates have landed on off-sites as way to build culture and retain workers. Hanmei Wu, co-founder and CEO of Empowerly, a tech company with about 40 full-time remote workers around the world, said she would advise founders with struggling teams that an off-site “could be a fantastic opportunity to reinvigorate them and motivate them — and realign them with your mission or values.” Off-sites help companies convey messages efficiently to many employees, build trust among workers and make the staff feel treated well without paying them extra. So managers are hanging on for dear life. Off-sites are not just about leaving the office. They are about breaking up daily routines that, after nearly two pandemic years, can feel monotonous. But Google Hangouts is no team trip to Hawaii. Faced with the prospect of planning an engaging suite of activities for a remote or hybrid workforce, managers have rushed to consultants for help executing off-sites. “The trajectory of our businesses has been crazy since March 2020,” said Mat MacDonell, CEO of the Offsite Co., which primarily plans events for startups. (Zanginger works for him.) He added, “We’ve been in hyper growth mode.” Bob Frisch, founding partner of the Strategic Offsites Group in Boston, whose company focuses on executive retreats for corporations, said, “We’ve had our busiest two years we’ve ever had,” partly because many leaders are stumped about how to plan a viable virtual event without outside help. Facilitators like Zanzinger show up equipped with activities, costumes and playlists. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Zanzinger, this time in the role of Ranger Todd, coached a group of tech recruiters through a virtual escape room. The co-workers, in teams of four, solved word and math puzzles in breakout rooms on Zoom. One woman arrived in her breakout room — just a smaller Zoom — to announce that this activity was, to be honest, not her favorite. She conceded, however, that it is nice to socialize with colleagues that she cannot see in person. A co-worker chimed in that Zooms could never replace in-person events, while a third said it was her second day at the job. They gamely tackled a puzzle together and laughed about a viral clip of a child saying, “I smell like beef.” Their team did not ultimately win. Some workers enjoy these retreats and even organize them. Genesis Bonds, 27, a software engineer in New York, planned a virtual escape room to boost morale on her team. She said she and another engineer sat down to try to plan something new — after months of virtual happy hours — that would get people excited to work together even if they were not going to be in the same place anytime soon. It was not on the same level as the in-person summit for Black employees that she had attended in 2019, which she said was “fantastic,” but the escape room went well. She said that she enjoyed getting to know co-workers beyond formal interactions in meetings. Many find remote work to be more transactional than in-person work. You Slack someone when you need something and otherwise stare at your own screen in your own home. Managers see off-sites as a way to make remote work feel more personal. Laura Burkhauser, a product manager at Twitter in San Francisco, planned a hybrid off-site in January to help her team build what she called “that elusive rapport.” In May 2020, Twitter told its employees that they could continue to work from home permanently. Burkhauser, whose team included workers in London and New York, said “off-sites are more important than ever in a time of virtual work” because it is easier to trust and communicate with remote co-workers when you actually know them. If many tech workers and executives agree that there is some value in off-site retreats, even when they are held remotely, how to execute them is much more tricky. Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab and co-founder of Strivr, a virtual reality startup, called the idea of doing a multiday retreat with back-to-back meetings “insanity — and I’m going to use that word not lightly.” He added, “You can’t just talk at someone for 36 hours and expect the brain to absorb it.” He recently published a paper on Zoom fatigue, and he said that “Zoom is like a fire hose. You’re getting flooded with nonverbal cues.” Then there is the question of how to actually spend your time together on an off-site. Wu said her startup’s recent off-site in Napa, California, which the Offsite Co. planned, was mainly social. She knows that in-demand software engineers, in particular, can easily quit and take different jobs. “So,” she said, “you want to really create an environment where people are stoked to be there, believe in the company, like the people they work with and aren’t just going to jump ship.” Meghana Reddy, a human resources executive in Oakland, California, said that while off-sites used to be “nice to have,” during the pandemic they became “a must-have.” She said that for tech companies that want to attract talent, investing in off-sites “will be a better use of money than trying to get people back in the office.” Some companies are already giving up their offices and diverting facilities budgets into off-sites. Hunter Block, the founder of Offsiter, said he knew of a large company that is planning more than 600 off-sites a year for smaller teams of employees. Bailenson, who wrote on Zoom fatigue, would advise that, whatever companies do to amp up their off-site plans, they should not lean too heavily on video chats. “If I were running a retreat,” he said, “we would be doing some Zoom. We’d be doing some audio-only stuff, some screen-sharing stuff. And then we would go into VR. We’d go into VR, and we’d do something really special.” He recommends gathering in virtual reality for bursts of five or 10 minutes at a time. Reddy said the VR tech she used for a virtual off-site last year “was definitely not ready for prime time.” Although, she added approvingly, a virtual gathering around a campfire was “just as awkward as in real life.” The Offsite Co., for one, has not yet done an in-person retreat for its staff. But like many of its clients, it has one in the pipeline for 2023.

For workers who are never on site, the ‘off-site’ still beckons

Alphabet Inc's Google is indefinitely pushing back its January return-to-office plan globally amid growing concerns over the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus and some resistance to company-mandated vaccinations.

Omicron variant: Google Delays Mandatory Return-To-Office globally

With over 500 Omicron variant cases, Britain has woken up to the threat as Omicron variant surge across the country. British PM Boris Johnson has announced tighter covid-19 restrictions, the new measures include, work from home, Covid vaccine passports mandatory and more.

Omicron scare: Work-from-home, Covid passports in England, Boris Johnson announces stricter curbs

Growing worries over the rapidly spreading Omicron coronavirus variant are derailing several companies' plans for a return to normalcy. Apple is delaying its return to office plans indefinitely, and it has temporarily closed three stores in the US And Canada.

Apple delays return to office indefinitely

More than half of European workers say they are more productive in their work, thanks to the boom in work from home following the COVID-19 restrictions, a survey showed on Thursday.

'Yes' to work from home, office resumption difficult after Covid

More than half of European workers say they are more productive in their work, thanks to the boom in work from home following the COVID-19 restrictions, a survey showed on Thursday.&nbsp;

As per the survey results, only about 14 per cent of workers want to return to the office for their 9-5 jobs.&nbsp;This survey of 14,000 people across Europe also found that 83 per cent of workers are seeking help from their employers in terms of support in balancing work and home responsibilities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/work-from-home-and-vaccine-passports-uk-pm-introduces-plan-b-to-battle-surge-in-covid-cases-435295" hreflang="en">Work from home and vaccine passports: UK PM introduces Plan B to battle surge in Covid cases</a>

The survey, commissioned by Samsung Electronics and the consultancy The Future Laboratory, also found that "hybrid working" - a mix of working at home and at the office - also has its downsides. More than a quarter of respondents feel like they worked all hours or into the night when hybrid working was in place.

Eurostat data show that approximately 12 per cent of employed people in the European Union typically worked from home in 2020, compared to less than 5 per cent before the pandemic.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/popular-childrens-books-from-west-including-disney-classics-outdated-sexist-racist-study-435214" hreflang="en">Popular children’s books from west, including Disney classics, ‘outdated, sexist, racist’: Study</a>

"With presenteeism now an outdated concept, employers need to think carefully about how they meet the demands of modern hybrid living," Benjamin Braun, vice president for Samsung Europe, said in a statement.

According to the survey, two-thirds of Europeans have made - or intend to make - home improvements in order to ease hybrid living, such as creating office spaces in their houses, while 41 per cent have moved houses for this purpose.

The survey of the world's largest memory chip and smartphone manufacturer found that 51 per cent said technology was useful for setting boundaries, such as mobile alarms and time management apps.

"We are likely to see tech stepping in to monitor our mental health and happiness as much as our physical health, with smart devices becoming our wellbeing assistants," said Meik Wiking, chief executive of Denmark's Happiness Research Institute, which is collaborating with Samsung on the future of work.

More than half of European workers say they are more productive in their work, thanks to the boom in work from home following the COVID-19 restrictions, a survey showed on Thursday. As per the survey results, only about 14 per cent of workers want to return to the office for their 9-5 jobs. This survey of 14,000 people across Europe also found that 83 per cent of workers are seeking help from their employers in terms of support in balancing work and home responsibilities. Also read | Work from home and vaccine passports: UK PM introduces Plan B to battle surge in Covid cases The survey, commissioned by Samsung Electronics and the consultancy The Future Laboratory, also found that "hybrid working" - a mix of working at home and at the office - also has its downsides. More than a quarter of respondents feel like they worked all hours or into the night when hybrid working was in place. Eurostat data show that approximately 12 per cent of employed people in the European Union typically worked from home in 2020, compared to less than 5 per cent before the pandemic. Also read | Popular children’s books from west, including Disney classics, ‘outdated, sexist, racist’: Study "With presenteeism now an outdated concept, employers need to think carefully about how they meet the demands of modern hybrid living," Benjamin Braun, vice president for Samsung Europe, said in a statement. According to the survey, two-thirds of Europeans have made - or intend to make - home improvements in order to ease hybrid living, such as creating office spaces in their houses, while 41 per cent have moved houses for this purpose. The survey of the world's largest memory chip and smartphone manufacturer found that 51 per cent said technology was useful for setting boundaries, such as mobile alarms and time management apps. "We are likely to see tech stepping in to monitor our mental health and happiness as much as our physical health, with smart devices becoming our wellbeing assistants," said Meik Wiking, chief executive of Denmark's Happiness Research Institute, which is collaborating with Samsung on the future of work.

'Yes' to work from home; survey finds that not even 15% Europeans want to go back to office

In the wake of growing concerns over the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus and some reluctance to comply with company-mandated vaccinations, Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it will delay its January return-to-work plan indefinitely.

Google had announced in August that it would expect its workers to come into the office approximately three days a week as of Jan. 10 at the earliest, ending its voluntary work-from-home policy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/with-omicron-reinfection-is-three-times-more-likely-south-african-health-body-433684" hreflang="en">With Omicron, reinfection is three times more likely: South African health body</a>

On Thursday, Google executives told employees that the company would put off the deadline beyond that date.

Company officials said the update was consistent with its earlier guidance that a return to work would not take place earlier than January&nbsp;10 and will be determined by local conditions.

According to Google, nearly 40 per cent of US&nbsp;employees came into an office in recent weeks, while other regions had higher percentages.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-scare-new-york-records-5-cases-bringing-number-of-new-variant-cases-in-us-to-eight-433665" hreflang="en">Omicron scare: New York records 5 cases, bringing number of new variant cases in US to eight</a>

However, CNBC reported last week that hundreds of employees protested the vaccination mandate for employees working on US&nbsp;government contracts.

In the midst of the pandemic, Google employees were one of the first to work from home. The company has 85 offices in over 60 countries.

Watch |&nbsp;Omicron Scare: Biden administration announces winter campaign against COVID-19

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/omicron-scare-biden-administration-announces-winter-campaign-against-covid-19-433682/embed" width="560"></iframe>

As of Thursday, 79 cases of the Omicron variant have been reported in Europe, the EU's public health agency said. Recently, New York (USA), Karnataka (India), have also reported cases of the variant.&nbsp;

A few countries, like Germany, have also started imposing restrictions to prevent the spread of this newly identified variant. The disease was first discovered in southern Africa last month.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the wake of growing concerns over the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus and some reluctance to comply with company-mandated vaccinations, Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it will delay its January return-to-work plan indefinitely.

In the wake of growing concerns over the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus and some reluctance to comply with company-mandated vaccinations, Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it will delay its January return-to-work plan indefinitely. Google had announced in August that it would expect its workers to come into the office approximately three days a week as of Jan. 10 at the earliest, ending its voluntary work-from-home policy. Also read | With Omicron, reinfection is three times more likely: South African health body On Thursday, Google executives told employees that the company would put off the deadline beyond that date. Company officials said the update was consistent with its earlier guidance that a return to work would not take place earlier than January 10 and will be determined by local conditions. According to Google, nearly 40 per cent of US employees came into an office in recent weeks, while other regions had higher percentages. Also read | Omicron scare: New York records 5 cases, bringing number of new variant cases in US to eight However, CNBC reported last week that hundreds of employees protested the vaccination mandate for employees working on US government contracts. In the midst of the pandemic, Google employees were one of the first to work from home. The company has 85 offices in over 60 countries. Watch | Omicron Scare: Biden administration announces winter campaign against COVID-19 As of Thursday, 79 cases of the Omicron variant have been reported in Europe, the EU's public health agency said. Recently, New York (USA), Karnataka (India), have also reported cases of the variant. A few countries, like Germany, have also started imposing restrictions to prevent the spread of this newly identified variant. The disease was first discovered in southern Africa last month. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid Omicron scare, Google delays mandatory return to office beyond Jan 10

A new research study has revealed that spending more time on near objects like mobile phones, screens, laptops, could make eyeballs elongated and eventually lead to near-sightedness, called myopia.

Myopia is a condition where near objects appear clearly, while the distant ones are blurred.

The study, done by the American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology, paints a worrying picture not only among adults, who have been spending more time on laptops—courtesy of&nbsp;'work for home’— but also among children, whose eyeballs are still developing.

The situation is so dire that the American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology are mulling to consider myopia an epidemic.

Laptops and mobile phones were already a constant companion during the pre-pandemic days, but the dramatic increase in the use of these electronic devices in recent months has been alarming, with the rise of e-learning and binge-watching.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Too much screen time is changing the shape of your eyes

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-too-much-screen-time-is-changing-the-shape-of-your-eyes-431710/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The ophthalmologists argue that the trouble with holding a screen close to one’s face isn’t about light shining into your eyes, rather it’s about the strain caused on the eye.

They say that while constantly staring at near objects, like phones and laptops,&nbsp;eyes blink far less when they’re focused so closely, forcing the pupil muscles to stretch. As a result, the eye lenses shift since they over-accommodate to constant close-distance tasks.&nbsp;

Last spring, Chinese researchers tested over 120,000 Covid-quarantined students aged six to eight and found myopia and other vision issues linked to home confinement increased up to three times compared with the previous five years – that’s with as little as 2.5 more hours of e-learning, according to the Guardian.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new research study has revealed that spending more time on near objects like mobile phones, screens, laptops, could make eyeballs elongated and eventually lead to near-sightedness, called myopia.

A new research study has revealed that spending more time on near objects like mobile phones, screens, laptops, could make eyeballs elongated and eventually lead to near-sightedness, called myopia. Myopia is a condition where near objects appear clearly, while the distant ones are blurred. The study, done by the American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology, paints a worrying picture not only among adults, who have been spending more time on laptops—courtesy of 'work for home’— but also among children, whose eyeballs are still developing. The situation is so dire that the American Academy of Optometry and American Academy of Ophthalmology are mulling to consider myopia an epidemic. Laptops and mobile phones were already a constant companion during the pre-pandemic days, but the dramatic increase in the use of these electronic devices in recent months has been alarming, with the rise of e-learning and binge-watching. Watch | Gravitas: Too much screen time is changing the shape of your eyes The ophthalmologists argue that the trouble with holding a screen close to one’s face isn’t about light shining into your eyes, rather it’s about the strain caused on the eye. They say that while constantly staring at near objects, like phones and laptops, eyes blink far less when they’re focused so closely, forcing the pupil muscles to stretch. As a result, the eye lenses shift since they over-accommodate to constant close-distance tasks. Last spring, Chinese researchers tested over 120,000 Covid-quarantined students aged six to eight and found myopia and other vision issues linked to home confinement increased up to three times compared with the previous five years – that’s with as little as 2.5 more hours of e-learning, according to the Guardian. (With inputs from agencies)

Staring at screen for prolonged period can make eyeballs elongated, reveals study

Work from home has helped save commute time but it has also brought in extended working hours, calls from bosses after office hours and more fatigue. To beat the diminishing work-life balance, Portugal wants to make it illegal for bosses to call their employees outside of their official hours.<o:p></o:p>

In a first, Portugal government has issued labour laws for digital workers which offer protections to workers. One of the main laws states that if any employer calls workers outside of office hours, the company will have to pay monetary fine.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/work-from-home-employees-are-quitting-instead-of-returning-to-the-office-389202">Work from home: Employees are quitting instead of returning to the office</a></o:p>

"We consider Portugal one of the best places in the world for these digital nomads and remote workers to choose to live in, we want to attract them to Portugal," Ana Mendes Godinho, Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security, said at the recent Web Summit conference in Lisbon. "The pandemic has accelerated the need to regulate what needs to be regulated."<o:p></o:p>

The laws have also urged companies to pay for the expenses an employee bears while working from home such as electricity and Wi-Fi charges.<o:p></o:p>

While some laws were approved, there were a few that did not see the daylight. Laws such as ‘right to disconnect’, the right to switch off all work devices and messaging services after work hours was not approved by lawmakers.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japanese-fashion-firm-introduces-pajama-suit-for-work-from-home-350413">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japanese-fashion-firm-introduces-pajama-suit-for-work-from-home-350413/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Experts believe that while there are benefits of working from home, there needs to be proper regulations that can help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. The new rules are a direct response to the rising trend of work-from-home culture all over the world.<o:p></o:p>

Portugal also hopes that this will attract people from other countries to find employment in the country, especially during the pandemic years.<o:p></o:p>

Work from home has helped save commute time but it has also brought in extended working hours, calls from bosses after office hours and more fatigue. To beat the diminishing work-life balance, Portugal wants to make it illegal for bosses to call their employees outside of their official hours.

Work from home has helped save commute time but it has also brought in extended working hours, calls from bosses after office hours and more fatigue. To beat the diminishing work-life balance, Portugal wants to make it illegal for bosses to call their employees outside of their official hours. In a first, Portugal government has issued labour laws for digital workers which offer protections to workers. One of the main laws states that if any employer calls workers outside of office hours, the company will have to pay monetary fine. Also read | Work from home: Employees are quitting instead of returning to the office "We consider Portugal one of the best places in the world for these digital nomads and remote workers to choose to live in, we want to attract them to Portugal," Ana Mendes Godinho, Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security, said at the recent Web Summit conference in Lisbon. "The pandemic has accelerated the need to regulate what needs to be regulated." The laws have also urged companies to pay for the expenses an employee bears while working from home such as electricity and Wi-Fi charges. While some laws were approved, there were a few that did not see the daylight. Laws such as ‘right to disconnect’, the right to switch off all work devices and messaging services after work hours was not approved by lawmakers. WATCH | Experts believe that while there are benefits of working from home, there needs to be proper regulations that can help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. The new rules are a direct response to the rising trend of work-from-home culture all over the world. Portugal also hopes that this will attract people from other countries to find employment in the country, especially during the pandemic years.

This country has made it illegal for bosses to call employees after office hours

70% of Britons don't expect to return to their offices in a post-pandemic world. Will bosses agree to extend work from home? What are the advantages of abandoning offices? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Will offices go extinct in a post-pandemic world?

Tech giant Google has extended the work from&nbsp;home option for employees to next year due to the ongoing pandemic situation.

Chief executive<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-chief-sundar-pichai-warns-about-threats-to-free-and-open-internet-in-countries-397737"> Sundar Pichai</a> said local offices will decide on asking employees to report to work with the option of returning to campus extended to January 10.

Pichai said the "road ahead maybe a little longer and bumpier than we had hoped" while adding that he remained "optimistic ".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/worst-is-yet-to-come-says-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-on-indias-covid-crisis-382532">Also Read:&nbsp;‘Worst is yet to come’, says Google CEO Sundar Pichai on India’s Covid crisis</a>

"I'm happy to say that a large number of offices globally are already open for business, and we are welcoming back tens of thousands of Googlers on a voluntary basis," Google's CEO said.

Pichai informed employees that they can take an extra day off in October and December as "reset days" to "rest and recharge."

Google's India-born CEO assured employees that they will be given 30 days notice before being asked to report to work. The company had extended the work from home option till October 18 earlier and asked employees to get vaccinated amid the surging Delta variant in the United States.

The company had said declared that employees could return to work on September 1 but it was pushed back as the pandemic crisis grew in the United States. It is the third time this year Google has delayed calling its workforce to the office.

Pichai in July had said he was looking "forward to brighter days" even as the company later decided to delay calling employees.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Tech giant Google has extended the work from home option for employees to next year due to the ongoing pandemic situation. Chief executive Sundar Pichai said local offices will decide on asking employees to report to work with the option of returning to campus extended to January 10.

Tech giant Google has extended the work from home option for employees to next year due to the ongoing pandemic situation. Chief executive Sundar Pichai said local offices will decide on asking employees to report to work with the option of returning to campus extended to January 10. Pichai said the "road ahead maybe a little longer and bumpier than we had hoped" while adding that he remained "optimistic ". Also Read: ‘Worst is yet to come’, says Google CEO Sundar Pichai on India’s Covid crisis "I'm happy to say that a large number of offices globally are already open for business, and we are welcoming back tens of thousands of Googlers on a voluntary basis," Google's CEO said. Pichai informed employees that they can take an extra day off in October and December as "reset days" to "rest and recharge." Google's India-born CEO assured employees that they will be given 30 days notice before being asked to report to work. The company had extended the work from home option till October 18 earlier and asked employees to get vaccinated amid the surging Delta variant in the United States. The company had said declared that employees could return to work on September 1 but it was pushed back as the pandemic crisis grew in the United States. It is the third time this year Google has delayed calling its workforce to the office. Pichai in July had said he was looking "forward to brighter days" even as the company later decided to delay calling employees. (With inputs from Agencies)

Google extends work from home till January amid pandemic

Financial firms may need to bolster their defences in the face of rocketing cyberattacks after employees began working from home, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) said on Tuesday.

The FSB, which coordinates financial rules for the G20 group of nations, said remote working since economies went into lockdown to fight COVID-19 opened up new possibilities for cyber attacks. Working from home (WFH) is expected to stay in some form across the financial services industry and beyond.

"Most cyber frameworks did not envisage a scenario of near-universal remote working and the exploitation of such a situation by cyber threat actors," the FSB said in a report to G20 ministers and central banks.

The report is a first take on lessons learned from the pandemic's impact on financial stability.

COVID-19 was the first major test of tougher financial rules put in place after the 2008 global financial crisis and most parts of the system coped well, the FSB said.

Lockdown restrictions are easing but financial firms have told employees they will be allowed to work from home several days a week permanently, and the rest of the time in the office.

Cyber activities such as phishing, malware and ransomware grew from fewer than 5,000 per week in February 2020 to more than 200,000 per week in late April 2021, the FSB said.

"Financial institutions have generally been resilient but they may need to consider adjustments to cyber risk management processes, cyber incident reporting, response and recovery activities, as well as management of critical third-party service providers, for example cloud services," the FSB said.

The FSB, chaired by Federal Reserve Vice Chair Randal Quarles and comprising regulators and central banks from leading financial centres, will publish a final report in October setting out its next steps.

It has already made proposals for strengthening the resilience of money market funds which suffered severe stresses during last year's market turmoil.

Financial firms may need to bolster their defences in the face of rocketing cyberattacks after employees began working from home, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) said on Tuesday.

Financial firms may need to bolster their defences in the face of rocketing cyberattacks after employees began working from home, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) said on Tuesday. The FSB, which coordinates financial rules for the G20 group of nations, said remote working since economies went into lockdown to fight COVID-19 opened up new possibilities for cyber attacks. Working from home (WFH) is expected to stay in some form across the financial services industry and beyond. "Most cyber frameworks did not envisage a scenario of near-universal remote working and the exploitation of such a situation by cyber threat actors," the FSB said in a report to G20 ministers and central banks. The report is a first take on lessons learned from the pandemic's impact on financial stability. COVID-19 was the first major test of tougher financial rules put in place after the 2008 global financial crisis and most parts of the system coped well, the FSB said. Lockdown restrictions are easing but financial firms have told employees they will be allowed to work from home several days a week permanently, and the rest of the time in the office. Cyber activities such as phishing, malware and ransomware grew from fewer than 5,000 per week in February 2020 to more than 200,000 per week in late April 2021, the FSB said. "Financial institutions have generally been resilient but they may need to consider adjustments to cyber risk management processes, cyber incident reporting, response and recovery activities, as well as management of critical third-party service providers, for example cloud services," the FSB said. The FSB, chaired by Federal Reserve Vice Chair Randal Quarles and comprising regulators and central banks from leading financial centres, will publish a final report in October setting out its next steps. It has already made proposals for strengthening the resilience of money market funds which suffered severe stresses during last year's market turmoil.

Cyberattacks increased amid work from home during pandemic: Study

Work-from-home has been the new normal in pandemic times. Some of us may like WFH and some of us won't. All is fine till everyone is treated fairly in corporate decisions. But how would you feel if your boss, who staunchly opposed WFH initially packed bags and moved to another country in order to work from home?

This has reportedly happened in Google. CNET reported that Urs Holzle, Senior Vice President for technical infrastructure is moving to New Zealand to work remotely.

Holzle told staff on June 29 that he will be moving to New Zealand. As per the report in CNET, Holzle had initially opposed WFH for staff who did not have a certain level of seniority in the organisation.

"After three decades in the US, my wife and I both felt it was time to consider a new location," Hölzle wrote in a company memo reviewed by CNET. "We've decided to spend a year in New Zealand and see how we like it."

The charge is reportedly denied by Google. A spokesperson has been quoted by Business Insider as saying that Holzle did not oppose WFH for junior employees.

However, Holzle's move to work remotely from a different country altogether may not go down well just when Google is planning to gradually have employees work from office.

Work-from-home has been the new normal in pandemic times. Some of us may like WFH and some of us won't. All is fine till everyone is treated fairly in corporate decisions.

Work-from-home has been the new normal in pandemic times. Some of us may like WFH and some of us won't. All is fine till everyone is treated fairly in corporate decisions. But how would you feel if your boss, who staunchly opposed WFH initially packed bags and moved to another country in order to work from home? This has reportedly happened in Google. CNET reported that Urs Holzle, Senior Vice President for technical infrastructure is moving to New Zealand to work remotely. Holzle told staff on June 29 that he will be moving to New Zealand. As per the report in CNET, Holzle had initially opposed WFH for staff who did not have a certain level of seniority in the organisation. "After three decades in the US, my wife and I both felt it was time to consider a new location," Hölzle wrote in a company memo reviewed by CNET. "We've decided to spend a year in New Zealand and see how we like it." The charge is reportedly denied by Google. A spokesperson has been quoted by Business Insider as saying that Holzle did not oppose WFH for junior employees. However, Holzle's move to work remotely from a different country altogether may not go down well just when Google is planning to gradually have employees work from office.

Senior Google executive who opposed work-from-home to move to New Zealand to work remotely: Report

Have you been working extra hours since switching to work from home? Are you expected to take calls, reply to e-mails way beyond office hours? European lawmakers are now pushing for the Right to Disconnect. Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Europe pushes for the Right to Disconnect

Facebook&nbsp;on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries.

Beginning on June 15,&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;will let any employee whose job can be done remotely ask to work that way permanently, the internet giant told AFP.

"We believe how we work is more important than where we work,"&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;said while sharing an update to its remote work policy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSuYqYyY3xAhUyyzgGHbfFAvUQFjACegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2NWN9svZmkstbE0eU9FdV_" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424" target="_blank">'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban</a>

"We want to be the place where people can do the best work of their careers while ensuring a consistent experience for employees no matter where they're located."

Facebook&nbsp;and other Silicon Valley firms shifted to remote work early in the pandemic, relying on the internet tools they create to get jobs done.

Facebook&nbsp;chief Mark Zuckerberg has said he expects the shift to remote work to be a lasting one at the leading social network, which plans to look for employees able to do their jobs from wherever they happen to live.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSuYqYyY3xAhUyyzgGHbfFAvUQFjAHegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw37UbzfPNGcJSn5y6tSppzw" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision</a>

Facebook&nbsp;recently began reopening its offices after a yearlong pandemic shutdown, but without perks such as free food and commuter shuttles.

The rollout of vaccines and improving health conditions were cited as reasons for gradually welcoming employees back to abandoned campuses.

Facebook&nbsp;said work schedules for those returning to offices will be flexible, but its guidance is for people to be on-site at least half the time.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiI5qm4yY3xAhXUzjgGHc7cACI4ChAWMAB6BAgJEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw29yAR4PleBbSZtqqctnGnZ" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235" target="_blank">Is Donald Trump back on&nbsp;Facebook? Here's the truth</a>

The leading social network said it is on track to have most of its US campuses at 50 percent capacity by early September.

Some&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;offices in Europe and Asia are open, according to the California-based firm.

Safety protocols in place include wearing face masks and keeping one's distance at work, along with routine Covid-19 testing, according to&nbsp;Facebook.

As of June 15,&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;will also expand remote work across international borders, supporting moves from the United States to Canada as well as shifts to Britain from other parts of Europe, the company said.

Google and Microsoft have unveiled similar hybrid schemes for workers, while some firms such as Twitter have told employees they can work remotely indefinitely.

Apple is reportedly facing employee resistance to its plan to bring employees back to the office.

The iPhone maker has called for employees to return three days a week starting in September, according to the tech news site The Verge.

But some Apple workers have signed a letter calling for more flexibility for employees who have been doing their jobs remotely for more than a year.

The Apple letter said the remote system works well and gives employees better work-life balance while accommodating those with special needs and reducing the risk of contagion.

Facebook on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries.

Facebook on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries. Beginning on June 15, Facebook will let any employee whose job can be done remotely ask to work that way permanently, the internet giant told AFP. "We believe how we work is more important than where we work," Facebook said while sharing an update to its remote work policy. Also read | 'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban "We want to be the place where people can do the best work of their careers while ensuring a consistent experience for employees no matter where they're located." Facebook and other Silicon Valley firms shifted to remote work early in the pandemic, relying on the internet tools they create to get jobs done. Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has said he expects the shift to remote work to be a lasting one at the leading social network, which plans to look for employees able to do their jobs from wherever they happen to live. Also read | Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision Facebook recently began reopening its offices after a yearlong pandemic shutdown, but without perks such as free food and commuter shuttles. The rollout of vaccines and improving health conditions were cited as reasons for gradually welcoming employees back to abandoned campuses. Facebook said work schedules for those returning to offices will be flexible, but its guidance is for people to be on-site at least half the time. Also read | Is Donald Trump back on Facebook? Here's the truth The leading social network said it is on track to have most of its US campuses at 50 percent capacity by early September. Some Facebook offices in Europe and Asia are open, according to the California-based firm. Safety protocols in place include wearing face masks and keeping one's distance at work, along with routine Covid-19 testing, according to Facebook. As of June 15, Facebook will also expand remote work across international borders, supporting moves from the United States to Canada as well as shifts to Britain from other parts of Europe, the company said. Google and Microsoft have unveiled similar hybrid schemes for workers, while some firms such as Twitter have told employees they can work remotely indefinitely. Apple is reportedly facing employee resistance to its plan to bring employees back to the office. The iPhone maker has called for employees to return three days a week starting in September, according to the tech news site The Verge. But some Apple workers have signed a letter calling for more flexibility for employees who have been doing their jobs remotely for more than a year. The Apple letter said the remote system works well and gives employees better work-life balance while accommodating those with special needs and reducing the risk of contagion.

Facebook remote work made permanent as offices re-open

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination.

According to a FlexJobs poll of 2,100 employees released in April, the top perks of remote work are the lack of commutes and cost savings.

Working remotely saves at least $5,000 per year for more than a third of the respondents.

Watch: Work from Home during pandemic became uncertain for offices

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/work-from-home-during-pandemic-became-uncertain-for-offices-365345/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to global market research firm Forrester, 70 per cent of US and European companies will pivot to a hybrid work model post-pandemic and only 30 per cent of companies in the US and Europe will embrace a full return-to-office model.

Goldman Sachs plans to ask the majority of its employees in the United States and the United Kingdom to return to work in June, bucking the trend among large firms to establish a permanent hybrid model of remote and on-site employment.

While firms ranging from Google to Ford Motor Company and Citigroup Inc. have offered more freedom, several CEOs have publicly praised the value of being in offices.

Watch: 8 Tips to Make Work from Home Easy and Productive

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/8-tips-to-make-work-from-home-easy-and-productive-292277/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Some people have expressed concern about the dangers of remote work, claiming that it reduces teamwork and company culture. It doesn't work "for those who want to hustle," according to Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. at a recent conference.

However, a large number of employees are not sure about returning to offices. The past year has demonstrated that a lot of work can be done from anywhere, without having to travel for long periods on packed trains or roadways. A few people have relocated. Others are concerned about the virus and not vaccinated coworkers.

(With inputs from agencies)

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination.

The attempt by some employers to bring people back into offices is clashing with workers who have embraced remote work as the new normal, as the scary effect of coronavirus pandemic recedes with global vaccination. According to a FlexJobs poll of 2,100 employees released in April, the top perks of remote work are the lack of commutes and cost savings. Working remotely saves at least $5,000 per year for more than a third of the respondents. Watch: Work from Home during pandemic became uncertain for offices According to global market research firm Forrester, 70 per cent of US and European companies will pivot to a hybrid work model post-pandemic and only 30 per cent of companies in the US and Europe will embrace a full return-to-office model. Goldman Sachs plans to ask the majority of its employees in the United States and the United Kingdom to return to work in June, bucking the trend among large firms to establish a permanent hybrid model of remote and on-site employment. While firms ranging from Google to Ford Motor Company and Citigroup Inc. have offered more freedom, several CEOs have publicly praised the value of being in offices. Watch: 8 Tips to Make Work from Home Easy and Productive Some people have expressed concern about the dangers of remote work, claiming that it reduces teamwork and company culture. It doesn't work "for those who want to hustle," according to Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. at a recent conference. However, a large number of employees are not sure about returning to offices. The past year has demonstrated that a lot of work can be done from anywhere, without having to travel for long periods on packed trains or roadways. A few people have relocated. Others are concerned about the virus and not vaccinated coworkers. (With inputs from agencies)

Work from home: Employees are quitting instead of returning to the office

Professional social network LinkedIn will give nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off in order to help them avoid burnout.

According to AFP news agency, the Microsoft-owned firm said that the "RestUp!" week starting Monday is meant to give employees time for their own well-being.

"There is something magical about the entire company taking a break at the same time," LinkedIn said. "And the best part? Not coming back to an avalanche of unanswered internal emails."

During the week, LinkedIn will provide employees who may feel isolated the option of taking part in daily activities such as volunteering for worthy causes through "random acts of kindness."

"A core team of employees will continue to work for the week, but they will be able to schedule time off later," LinkedIn said.

LinkedIn, whose employees are currently working from home, does not expect them to begin returning to its offices until September, and plans to make it standard practice to let them work from home as much as half of the time.

Major technology companies were among the first in the US to adopt working from home last year to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and most have yet to fully reopen their offices.

Professional social network LinkedIn will give nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off in order to help them avoid burnout. According to AFP news agency, the Microsoft-owned firm said that the "RestUp!

Professional social network LinkedIn will give nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off in order to help them avoid burnout. According to AFP news agency, the Microsoft-owned firm said that the "RestUp!" week starting Monday is meant to give employees time for their own well-being. "There is something magical about the entire company taking a break at the same time," LinkedIn said. "And the best part? Not coming back to an avalanche of unanswered internal emails." During the week, LinkedIn will provide employees who may feel isolated the option of taking part in daily activities such as volunteering for worthy causes through "random acts of kindness." "A core team of employees will continue to work for the week, but they will be able to schedule time off later," LinkedIn said. LinkedIn, whose employees are currently working from home, does not expect them to begin returning to its offices until September, and plans to make it standard practice to let them work from home as much as half of the time. Major technology companies were among the first in the US to adopt working from home last year to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and most have yet to fully reopen their offices.

LinkedIn to give staff week off for well-being

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's State Minister of Defence Nakayama Yasuhide, former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and&nbsp;former US National Security Advisor John Bolton&nbsp;are among leaders who will address WION's Global summit 2021, to be held on March 24 in Dubai.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/globalsummit/dubai-2021">WION Global Summit: Fourth Edition, Dubai 2021 — click here for details</a>

The event will be aired live on the WION channel, as well as on its YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts, from 12.00 PM IST on Wednesday.

'Power Play in a Post-Pandemic World' is the theme of the fourth edition of the summit, which will have thought-provoking discussions in four sessions.&nbsp;

Jaishankar will be the chief guest at the event to be held at The Oberoi, Dubai, where world leaders, thinkers and influencers will engage in dialogue on the common challenges currently affecting the world.&nbsp; 
 
Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to UAE, will deliver the welcome note on behalf of the host nation, United Arab Emirates.

Panelists will focus their attention on issues at the intersections of global politics, economy, diplomacy and our daily lives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first session will focus on peace deals in West Asia. The discussion will touch upon several topics in the wake of the change of guard in the US and several nations formalising or normalising their diplomatic ties with Israel. Is the Abraham Accords a political win for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a foreign affairs victory for Donald Trump? What is the future of the annexation of West Bank? Does it amount to a betrayal for Palestine? In the context of a new administration at the White House led by Joe Biden, what's the future of West Asia? Will the US be returning to the talking table with Iran, considered the 'common enemy'? These are among the questions that will be discussed at this session.&nbsp;

The opening keynote address will be delivered by John Bolton. The dialogue partners for the session are Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem; Mustapha Noman, Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Yemen; Ibrahim Shukralla, Emirati Editor from Abu Dhabi and Jason D Greenblatt, Former White House Middle East envoy.

The second session, titled The Post-Pandemic World Order, will explore how COVID-19 &nbsp;exposed the failure of multilateral institutions as well as the lack of global leadership. A key question that will be asked is, who will be the post-pandemic global leader, or will it have several global leaders?

There will be discussions on how the pandemic diminished the credibility of the US, the worst-hit by the pandemic, and exposed its lack of interest in global leadership. The session will also examine how the pandemic was a double whammy for West Asia, as it led to the oil market slump.

There will be discussions on the fight against political Islam in Europe. Other questions on the table would be: Has the pandemic opened opportunities for new alliances? Will the world reset its ties with China post the pandemic? Will there be a shift in economic power? Will there be a push towards multilateralism or ultra-nationalism? Besides these burning questions, the parleys will also focus on India's role in the post-pandemic world.&nbsp;

Nakayama Yasuhide, &nbsp;State Minister of Defence, Japan, will deliver the keynote address for the second session. Also addressing it are Youssef Chahed, Former Prime Minister of Tunisia; Michael Tsai, Former Defence Minister, Taiwan; Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health, Maldives; Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee GBS JP, Chinese politician, member of ExCo &amp; LegCo and founder of New People's Party.

The third session, on World Economy: The Price of the Pandemic, will focus on how the coronavirus brought about an economic downturn not seen since World War II. It will examine economic trends of 2021, by the end of which global GDP is expected to be 7.5% lower than it would have been without the pandemic.&nbsp;

At issue are joblessness and business shutdowns, with 15% of young, previously employed, people out of jobs. The panelists will address areas such as US unemployment, which is highest since the Great Depression, as well as the future of pandemic-hit sectors such as oil, tourism and aviation. It will discuss why China is not being held accountable, even as several countries are pushed into a recession by the pandemic.&nbsp;

Those addressing these issues would be Jacek Rostowski, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland; Ian Goldin, former Vice President of the World Bank; Alexander Downer, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Australia; and Alexander Dynkin, President, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy.

The fourth and last session will explore the digital revolution that saw the world go online during the pandemic. While digital was always the future, the pandemic has accelerated the shift, with e-working and e-learning becoming common. At issue are questions like whether companies will move to permanent work from home, and whether it will take a toll on work-life balance. Are concerns about data security being addressed during this digital revolution? Is the world prepared for the move online?&nbsp;

Joining this session are Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan; Maria Galindo, Advisor in International Digital Policy in Government of Catalonia; Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Republic of Estonia; Jehudi Castro, Digital Advisor to the Colombian President and Former Vice-Minister of Digital Economy; Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies; and Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's State Minister of Defence Nakayama Yasuhide, former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former US National Security Advisor John Bolton are among leaders who will address WION's Global summit 2021, to be held on March 24 in Dubai.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's State Minister of Defence Nakayama Yasuhide, former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former US National Security Advisor John Bolton are among leaders who will address WION's Global summit 2021, to be held on March 24 in Dubai. WION Global Summit: Fourth Edition, Dubai 2021 — click here for details The event will be aired live on the WION channel, as well as on its YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts, from 12.00 PM IST on Wednesday. 'Power Play in a Post-Pandemic World' is the theme of the fourth edition of the summit, which will have thought-provoking discussions in four sessions. Jaishankar will be the chief guest at the event to be held at The Oberoi, Dubai, where world leaders, thinkers and influencers will engage in dialogue on the common challenges currently affecting the world. Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to UAE, will deliver the welcome note on behalf of the host nation, United Arab Emirates. Panelists will focus their attention on issues at the intersections of global politics, economy, diplomacy and our daily lives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first session will focus on peace deals in West Asia. The discussion will touch upon several topics in the wake of the change of guard in the US and several nations formalising or normalising their diplomatic ties with Israel. Is the Abraham Accords a political win for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a foreign affairs victory for Donald Trump? What is the future of the annexation of West Bank? Does it amount to a betrayal for Palestine? In the context of a new administration at the White House led by Joe Biden, what's the future of West Asia? Will the US be returning to the talking table with Iran, considered the 'common enemy'? These are among the questions that will be discussed at this session. The opening keynote address will be delivered by John Bolton. The dialogue partners for the session are Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem; Mustapha Noman, Former Deputy Foreign Minister, Yemen; Ibrahim Shukralla, Emirati Editor from Abu Dhabi and Jason D Greenblatt, Former White House Middle East envoy. The second session, titled The Post-Pandemic World Order, will explore how COVID-19 exposed the failure of multilateral institutions as well as the lack of global leadership. A key question that will be asked is, who will be the post-pandemic global leader, or will it have several global leaders? There will be discussions on how the pandemic diminished the credibility of the US, the worst-hit by the pandemic, and exposed its lack of interest in global leadership. The session will also examine how the pandemic was a double whammy for West Asia, as it led to the oil market slump. There will be discussions on the fight against political Islam in Europe. Other questions on the table would be: Has the pandemic opened opportunities for new alliances? Will the world reset its ties with China post the pandemic? Will there be a shift in economic power? Will there be a push towards multilateralism or ultra-nationalism? Besides these burning questions, the parleys will also focus on India's role in the post-pandemic world. Nakayama Yasuhide, State Minister of Defence, Japan, will deliver the keynote address for the second session. Also addressing it are Youssef Chahed, Former Prime Minister of Tunisia; Michael Tsai, Former Defence Minister, Taiwan; Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka; Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health, Maldives; Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee GBS JP, Chinese politician, member of ExCo & LegCo and founder of New People's Party. The third session, on World Economy: The Price of the Pandemic, will focus on how the coronavirus brought about an economic downturn not seen since World War II. It will examine economic trends of 2021, by the end of which global GDP is expected to be 7.5% lower than it would have been without the pandemic. At issue are joblessness and business shutdowns, with 15% of young, previously employed, people out of jobs. The panelists will address areas such as US unemployment, which is highest since the Great Depression, as well as the future of pandemic-hit sectors such as oil, tourism and aviation. It will discuss why China is not being held accountable, even as several countries are pushed into a recession by the pandemic. Those addressing these issues would be Jacek Rostowski, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland; Ian Goldin, former Vice President of the World Bank; Alexander Downer, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Australia; and Alexander Dynkin, President, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy. The fourth and last session will explore the digital revolution that saw the world go online during the pandemic. While digital was always the future, the pandemic has accelerated the shift, with e-working and e-learning becoming common. At issue are questions like whether companies will move to permanent work from home, and whether it will take a toll on work-life balance. Are concerns about data security being addressed during this digital revolution? Is the world prepared for the move online? Joining this session are Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan; Maria Galindo, Advisor in International Digital Policy in Government of Catalonia; Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Republic of Estonia; Jehudi Castro, Digital Advisor to the Colombian President and Former Vice-Minister of Digital Economy; Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies; and Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France.

At WION Global Summit, leaders to deliberate on post-pandemic world order

Only 14 per cent out of 1 million office workers have returned to their desks. Will the pandemic led to the end of the offices, still remains a question especially in New York. A recent survey has also led work from home into the new normal and has been induced into the work culture.

Work from Home during pandemic became uncertain for offices

The fashion industry adjusts to news normal as a Japanese clothing firm introduces pajama suit especially for the peoples doing work from home and have to attend some virtual meetings by wearing formal attires which ends their comfort zone at the home.

Japanese fashion firm introduces 'pajama suit' for work from home

Alphabet Inc`s Google will allow its employees to work from home until September next year, extending the return to the office by a few months, the New York Times reported on Monday. 
 
The company was also testing the idea of a "flexible workweek" once it is safe to return to the office, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai told the company`s staff in an email on Sunday, according to the report. 
 
As part of the plan, Google`s employees would be expected to work at least three days a week in the office while working from home the other days, the newspaper report said. 
 
"We are testing a hypothesis that a flexible work model will lead to greater productivity, collaboration, and well-being," Pichai wrote in the email. 
 
Google was one of the first companies to ask its employees to work from home due to the pandemic. It has previously delayed the timing by when the employees should return to the office from January next year to July.

Alphabet Inc`s Google will allow its employees to work from home until September next year, extending the return to the office by a few months, the New York Times reported on Monday.

Alphabet Inc`s Google will allow its employees to work from home until September next year, extending the return to the office by a few months, the New York Times reported on Monday. The company was also testing the idea of a "flexible workweek" once it is safe to return to the office, Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai told the company`s staff in an email on Sunday, according to the report. As part of the plan, Google`s employees would be expected to work at least three days a week in the office while working from home the other days, the newspaper report said. "We are testing a hypothesis that a flexible work model will lead to greater productivity, collaboration, and well-being," Pichai wrote in the email. Google was one of the first companies to ask its employees to work from home due to the pandemic. It has previously delayed the timing by when the employees should return to the office from January next year to July.

Google delays return to office and eyes 'flexible work week'

Sydney, Dec 14 (IANS) In a recent study, researchers have found that while working from home in pyjamas during the Covid-19 pandemic did not lower productivity, it was linked to poorer mental health. 
 
The study from Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, together with the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney, 41 per cent of respondents said they experienced increased productivity while working from home. 
 
Also, more than a third of the respondents reported that working from home resulted in poorer mental health. 
 
When the study examined the effects wearing pyjamas had on productivity and mental health, it found that wearing pyjamas was associated with more frequent reporting of poorer mental health, reports zdnet.com. 
 
Fifty nine per cent of the participants who wore pyjamas during the day at least one day a week, they admitted their mental health declined while working from home, vs 26 per cent who did not wear pyjamas while working from home. 
 
"While we cannot determine whether wearing pyjamas was the cause or consequence of mental health deterioration, appreciation of the effect of clothing on cognition and mental health is growing," the study authors were quoted as saying in zdnet.com. 
 
The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, also examined the impact children had on people while they worked from home. 
 
It found that 63 per cent working from home with a toddler reported reduced overall productivity. 
 
Similarly, people who had primary school children at home while they worked agreed that their productivity was hindered. 
 
--IANS 
 
bu/bg 
&nbsp;

Sydney, Dec 14 (IANS) In a recent study, researchers have found that while working from home in pyjamas during the Covid-19 pandemic did not lower productivity, it was linked to poorer mental health.

Sydney, Dec 14 (IANS) In a recent study, researchers have found that while working from home in pyjamas during the Covid-19 pandemic did not lower productivity, it was linked to poorer mental health. The study from Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, together with the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Sydney, 41 per cent of respondents said they experienced increased productivity while working from home. Also, more than a third of the respondents reported that working from home resulted in poorer mental health. When the study examined the effects wearing pyjamas had on productivity and mental health, it found that wearing pyjamas was associated with more frequent reporting of poorer mental health, reports zdnet.com. Fifty nine per cent of the participants who wore pyjamas during the day at least one day a week, they admitted their mental health declined while working from home, vs 26 per cent who did not wear pyjamas while working from home. "While we cannot determine whether wearing pyjamas was the cause or consequence of mental health deterioration, appreciation of the effect of clothing on cognition and mental health is growing," the study authors were quoted as saying in zdnet.com. The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, also examined the impact children had on people while they worked from home. It found that 63 per cent working from home with a toddler reported reduced overall productivity. Similarly, people who had primary school children at home while they worked agreed that their productivity was hindered. --IANS bu/bg

Working in pyjamas does not hurt productivity: Study

It's been almost eight to nine months since the majority of the offices shifted to 'work from home' as the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and sent countries into nationwide lockdowns.

Now, as the cases started decreasing, some of the offices re-opened the office spaces with 50 per cent capacity. However, the people working for the Delhi government have new 'work-from-home' guidelines now.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/haryana-minister-anil-vij-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-trial-covaxin-shot-347705" hreflang="en">Haryana minister Anil Vij tests positive for COVID-19 after trial Covaxin shot</a>

The government employees working from home amid the pandemic now will have to be available for calls, emails, texts and WhatsApp messages at any given time, a new circular informed the employees.

"The officials allowed to work from home will remain available at any time, as and when so required, on phone, WhatsApp, messages and email. Any official allowed to work from home may be called to office, if required," the circular read.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-adds-36652-new-coronavirus-cases-death-toll-stands-at-139700-347634">India adds 36,652 new coronavirus cases; death toll stands at 139,700</a>

These employees are also not allowed to leave the national capital city, Delhi, without taking written permission from the respective bosses. The permission will be granted only in case of emergencies.

The reason behind this sudden announcement by the Delhi government has not been made clear yet. Some believe this may have prompted from some past incident. However, no confirmation has been provided by the Delhi government on this matter.

Last week, the Delhi government had asked different departments to make fresh schedules and allow 50% of the employees to work from home till the end of this year, i.e. December 31.

The statement came on the day when India recorded 36,652 new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>cases, taking the overall caseload to 9,608,211, and 512 deaths, taking the death toll to&nbsp;139,700.

It's been almost eight to nine months since the majority of the offices shifted to 'work from home' as the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and sent countries into nationwide lockdowns.

It's been almost eight to nine months since the majority of the offices shifted to 'work from home' as the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and sent countries into nationwide lockdowns. Now, as the cases started decreasing, some of the offices re-opened the office spaces with 50 per cent capacity. However, the people working for the Delhi government have new 'work-from-home' guidelines now. Also read| Haryana minister Anil Vij tests positive for COVID-19 after trial Covaxin shot The government employees working from home amid the pandemic now will have to be available for calls, emails, texts and WhatsApp messages at any given time, a new circular informed the employees. "The officials allowed to work from home will remain available at any time, as and when so required, on phone, WhatsApp, messages and email. Any official allowed to work from home may be called to office, if required," the circular read. Also read| India adds 36,652 new coronavirus cases; death toll stands at 139,700 These employees are also not allowed to leave the national capital city, Delhi, without taking written permission from the respective bosses. The permission will be granted only in case of emergencies. The reason behind this sudden announcement by the Delhi government has not been made clear yet. Some believe this may have prompted from some past incident. However, no confirmation has been provided by the Delhi government on this matter. Last week, the Delhi government had asked different departments to make fresh schedules and allow 50% of the employees to work from home till the end of this year, i.e. December 31. The statement came on the day when India recorded 36,652 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall caseload to 9,608,211, and 512 deaths, taking the death toll to 139,700.

Government employees working from home cannot leave city: Delhi govt

As the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of this year, majority of the companies shifted to working from home to safeguard their employees from the deadly coronavirus. This included the social media giant Facebook.

However, now more than 200 Facebook content moderators have urged the social media company to provide better health and safety precautions for the workers, who have now been called back to the office.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/canada-facing-cyber-security-threat-from-china-russia-state-sponsored-programs-report-343994" hreflang="en">Canada facing cyber security threat from China, Russia state-sponsored programs: Report</a>

"After months of allowing content moderators to work from home, faced with intense pressure to keep Facebook free of hate and disinformation, you have forced us back to the office," said the open letter released by the British-based legal activist firm Foxglove.

The content moderators are responsible for keeping the platform free of hate speech and false information, which has played a very important role during the pandemic and the recently concluded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections.</a>&nbsp;While the moderators were working from home till now, they have been called back to the office for more 'effective working'.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tried-and-tested-twitter-launches-fleets-globally-after-successful-testing-in-india-343840" hreflang="en">Tried and tested: Twitter launches 'Fleets' globally after successful testing in India</a>

Moderators have signed a petition asking the Zuckerberg-led company to "keep moderators and their families safe" rather than exposing them to the deadly virus. The petitioners have requested for remote working to the highest possible limit, or at least offer"hazard pay" to the moderators who come to the office in the pandemic.

"We appreciate the valuable work content reviewers do and we prioritize their health and safety," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to AFP.&nbsp;

"The majority of these 15,000 global content reviewers have been working from home and will continue to do so for the duration of the pandemic," the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-accused-of-tracking-iphone-users-without-consent-343572" hreflang="en">Apple accused of tracking iPhone users without consent</a>

The petitioners have said the current environment does call for human moderators, as the Artificial Intelligence has failed to match up to the standards and the company has now discovered limitations on what the employees can manage in remote working, after which they decided to turn to AI, which resulted in shortcomings.

"The AI wasn't up to the job. Important speech got swept into the maw of the Facebook filter -- and risky content, like self-harm, stayed up," the letter said.

"The lesson is clear. Facebook's algorithms are years away from achieving the necessary level of sophistication to moderate content automatically. They may never get there."

The moderators have also urged Facebook to turn the moderators to full-term employees.

As the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of this year, majority of the companies shifted to working from home to safeguard their employees from the deadly coronavirus.

As the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic at the beginning of this year, majority of the companies shifted to working from home to safeguard their employees from the deadly coronavirus. This included the social media giant Facebook. However, now more than 200 Facebook content moderators have urged the social media company to provide better health and safety precautions for the workers, who have now been called back to the office. Also read| Canada facing cyber security threat from China, Russia state-sponsored programs: Report "After months of allowing content moderators to work from home, faced with intense pressure to keep Facebook free of hate and disinformation, you have forced us back to the office," said the open letter released by the British-based legal activist firm Foxglove. The content moderators are responsible for keeping the platform free of hate speech and false information, which has played a very important role during the pandemic and the recently concluded US elections. While the moderators were working from home till now, they have been called back to the office for more 'effective working'. Also read| Tried and tested: Twitter launches 'Fleets' globally after successful testing in India Moderators have signed a petition asking the Zuckerberg-led company to "keep moderators and their families safe" rather than exposing them to the deadly virus. The petitioners have requested for remote working to the highest possible limit, or at least offer"hazard pay" to the moderators who come to the office in the pandemic. "We appreciate the valuable work content reviewers do and we prioritize their health and safety," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to AFP. "The majority of these 15,000 global content reviewers have been working from home and will continue to do so for the duration of the pandemic," the spokesperson said. Also read| Apple accused of tracking iPhone users without consent The petitioners have said the current environment does call for human moderators, as the Artificial Intelligence has failed to match up to the standards and the company has now discovered limitations on what the employees can manage in remote working, after which they decided to turn to AI, which resulted in shortcomings. "The AI wasn't up to the job. Important speech got swept into the maw of the Facebook filter -- and risky content, like self-harm, stayed up," the letter said. "The lesson is clear. Facebook's algorithms are years away from achieving the necessary level of sophistication to moderate content automatically. They may never get there." The moderators have also urged Facebook to turn the moderators to full-term employees.

Facebook content moderators urge for safety precautions amid pandemic

The government on Thursday announced simplified guidelines for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) players to reduce their compliance burden for the industry and facilitate "work from home" and "work from anywhere".

The new rules for "Other Service Providers" (OSPs) would create a friendly-regime for "work from home" and "work from anywhere" while removing several reporting and other obligations for such companies.

OSPs are entities providing applications services, IT-enabled services or any kind of outsourcing services using telecom resources. The term refers to BPOs, KPOs (Knowledge Process Outsourcing), IT-ES, call centres, amongst others.

The new rules are aimed at providing a strong impetus to the industry and positioning India as one of the most competitive IT jurisdictions in the world, an official release said.

The new regulations would boost flexibility for these companies to adopt "work from home" and "work from anywhere" policies, a development especially relevant at a time when COVID-19 has forced IT/BPO firms to enable employees to work from home.

The new rules also do away with registration requirement for OSPs, while the BPO industry engaged in data related work has been taken out of the ambit of the said regulations.

"India's IT sector is our pride. The prowess of this sector is recognised globally. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure a conducive environment for growth and innovation in India. Today's decisions will especially encourage young talent in the sector!," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

An official release said that under the revamped guidelines, the requirements such as deposit of bank guarantees, requirement for static IPs, frequent reporting of obligations, publication of network diagram, and penal provisions have also been removed.

"Similarly, several other requirements, which prevented companies from adopting work from home" and "work from anywhere" policies have also been removed," the release said, adding that additional dispensations to enhance flexibility for the industry have been allowed.

"With an aim to qualitatively improve the Ease of Doing Business of the IT industry, particularly Business Process Outsourcing and IT-Enabled Services, the government has drastically simplified the Other Service Provider guidelines of the Department of Telecom. The new guidelines tremendously reduce the compliance burden of the BPO industry," the release added.

It further said that the new guidelines are aimed at removing "unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions" in order to allow the industry to focus on innovative new products and solutions.

"With this reform, the Government of India sends out a strong signal of its support to the IT industry with a view to encouraging increased investment in the sector.

"The reform will certainly unleash the potential of our talented youth by making India as a preferred destination for Information and Knowledge Outsourcing Industry and would further the vision of 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat'," the release added.

Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted, "Today @narendramodi Govt has taken a major reform initiative to liberalize the regulatory regime for "Other Service Provider". This will boost the IT/ ITeS/ BPO industry and create a friendly regime for Work from Home in India."

Nasscom termed the move as a bold reform for ITES/BPO players.

"These will provide several benefits... India is a global outsourcing hub and the new guidelines will promote outsourcing at scale, bringing in more work to India. With the relaxations in WFH regulations, companies will be able to tap into talent from small towns and remote parts of the country," Nasscom Senior Director and Public Policy Head Ashish Aggarwal said.

Overall, the new guidelines offer further clarity and will bring in ease of doing business, he added.

The government on Thursday announced simplified guidelines for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) players to reduce their compliance burden for the industry and facilitate "work from home" and "work from anywhere".

The government on Thursday announced simplified guidelines for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) players to reduce their compliance burden for the industry and facilitate "work from home" and "work from anywhere". The new rules for "Other Service Providers" (OSPs) would create a friendly-regime for "work from home" and "work from anywhere" while removing several reporting and other obligations for such companies. OSPs are entities providing applications services, IT-enabled services or any kind of outsourcing services using telecom resources. The term refers to BPOs, KPOs (Knowledge Process Outsourcing), IT-ES, call centres, amongst others. The new rules are aimed at providing a strong impetus to the industry and positioning India as one of the most competitive IT jurisdictions in the world, an official release said. The new regulations would boost flexibility for these companies to adopt "work from home" and "work from anywhere" policies, a development especially relevant at a time when COVID-19 has forced IT/BPO firms to enable employees to work from home. The new rules also do away with registration requirement for OSPs, while the BPO industry engaged in data related work has been taken out of the ambit of the said regulations. "India's IT sector is our pride. The prowess of this sector is recognised globally. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure a conducive environment for growth and innovation in India. Today's decisions will especially encourage young talent in the sector!," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted. An official release said that under the revamped guidelines, the requirements such as deposit of bank guarantees, requirement for static IPs, frequent reporting of obligations, publication of network diagram, and penal provisions have also been removed. "Similarly, several other requirements, which prevented companies from adopting work from home" and "work from anywhere" policies have also been removed," the release said, adding that additional dispensations to enhance flexibility for the industry have been allowed. "With an aim to qualitatively improve the Ease of Doing Business of the IT industry, particularly Business Process Outsourcing and IT-Enabled Services, the government has drastically simplified the Other Service Provider guidelines of the Department of Telecom. The new guidelines tremendously reduce the compliance burden of the BPO industry," the release added. It further said that the new guidelines are aimed at removing "unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions" in order to allow the industry to focus on innovative new products and solutions. "With this reform, the Government of India sends out a strong signal of its support to the IT industry with a view to encouraging increased investment in the sector. "The reform will certainly unleash the potential of our talented youth by making India as a preferred destination for Information and Knowledge Outsourcing Industry and would further the vision of 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat'," the release added. Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted, "Today @narendramodi Govt has taken a major reform initiative to liberalize the regulatory regime for "Other Service Provider". This will boost the IT/ ITeS/ BPO industry and create a friendly regime for Work from Home in India." Nasscom termed the move as a bold reform for ITES/BPO players. "These will provide several benefits... India is a global outsourcing hub and the new guidelines will promote outsourcing at scale, bringing in more work to India. With the relaxations in WFH regulations, companies will be able to tap into talent from small towns and remote parts of the country," Nasscom Senior Director and Public Policy Head Ashish Aggarwal said. Overall, the new guidelines offer further clarity and will bring in ease of doing business, he added.

Indian govt relaxes IT sector guidelines to facilitate 'work from home'

The pandemic is ongoing and many of us are still working from home. Work from home may suit some people but for others, it's a sure shot way to boredom. These people want to come out of their houses at any cost and current situation does not let them. But how about we tell you about an option where you can laze around on a beach of a tropical paradise and 'work from home' from there.

The latest offer from Cayman Islands might let you do just that. Cayman Islands have not yet opened for travel, so this may be your only way to get there. Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory and have successfully contained the spread of coronavirus as compared to other nations.

Cayman Islands launched Global Citizen Concierge Program on October 21 and is inviting people to ride out the remnant of coronavirus pandemic on the three picturesque islands. People from around the world can apply for a Global Citizen Certificate and if it is granted, the holder can travel in and out of the Cayman Islands provided they spend 90 days in the territory per year.

Sounds good? Well it sure is!

But like every other good thing, this too comes at a price. The condition to be eligible for this program is that you have to be earning a minimum annual salary of USD 100,000

During the application process, the applicant will have to furnish proof of his earnings. If you want to go to Cayman Islands with your partner, your combined income should be USD 1,50,000 annually. The limit goes up to USD 180,000 for individuals or couples with dependent children.

If this option is too costly for you, you can check out other (relatively) cheaper options.

Under 'remotely from Georgia' program, you can work remotely in Georgia if you earn at least USD 2000 a month. Want to go to Estonia and work remotely? You can do so if you earn USD 4141 annually. In a mood to go to Dubai? Provide income proof of at least USD 5000 per month and you are set.&nbsp;

The pandemic is ongoing and many of us are still working from home. Work from home may suit some people but for others, it's a sure shot way to boredom. These people want to come out of their houses at any cost and current situation does not let them.

The pandemic is ongoing and many of us are still working from home. Work from home may suit some people but for others, it's a sure shot way to boredom. These people want to come out of their houses at any cost and current situation does not let them. But how about we tell you about an option where you can laze around on a beach of a tropical paradise and 'work from home' from there. The latest offer from Cayman Islands might let you do just that. Cayman Islands have not yet opened for travel, so this may be your only way to get there. Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory and have successfully contained the spread of coronavirus as compared to other nations. Cayman Islands launched Global Citizen Concierge Program on October 21 and is inviting people to ride out the remnant of coronavirus pandemic on the three picturesque islands. People from around the world can apply for a Global Citizen Certificate and if it is granted, the holder can travel in and out of the Cayman Islands provided they spend 90 days in the territory per year. Sounds good? Well it sure is! But like every other good thing, this too comes at a price. The condition to be eligible for this program is that you have to be earning a minimum annual salary of USD 100,000 During the application process, the applicant will have to furnish proof of his earnings. If you want to go to Cayman Islands with your partner, your combined income should be USD 1,50,000 annually. The limit goes up to USD 180,000 for individuals or couples with dependent children. If this option is too costly for you, you can check out other (relatively) cheaper options. Under 'remotely from Georgia' program, you can work remotely in Georgia if you earn at least USD 2000 a month. Want to go to Estonia and work remotely? You can do so if you earn USD 4141 annually. In a mood to go to Dubai? Provide income proof of at least USD 5000 per month and you are set.

Want to 'work-from-home' from Cayman Islands? Here's what you need to do

Amazon.com Inc extended the timeline for its workers to resume work from office on Tuesday. Now, Amazon employees whose work can be done from home will be able to work from home till June 2020. The step has been taken in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until June 30, 2021," Amazon spokeswoman was quoted as saying by Reuters. The extension is applicable globally.

Earlier, the option for work from home was available to employees until January 2020.

Recently, Amazon said that more than 19,000 of its frontline workers in the US had contracted coronavirus. Amazon faced flak from staff and unions that alleged it exposed employees to danger by keeping its warehouses open during the pandemic.

Twitter became first major tech company in May to allow employees to work remotely indefinitely. Microsoft said earlier this month that the company will allow employees to work up to half of their work hours remotely.

Facebook had said it would allow its employees to work from home till July next year, while Google had extended the remote working period for employees who do not need to be in the office till June.

(With Reuters inputs)

Amazon.com Inc extended the timeline for its workers to resume work from office on Tuesday. Now, Amazon employees whose work can be done from home will be able to work from home till June 2020.

Amazon.com Inc extended the timeline for its workers to resume work from office on Tuesday. Now, Amazon employees whose work can be done from home will be able to work from home till June 2020. The step has been taken in light of the coronavirus pandemic. "Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until June 30, 2021," Amazon spokeswoman was quoted as saying by Reuters. The extension is applicable globally. Earlier, the option for work from home was available to employees until January 2020. Recently, Amazon said that more than 19,000 of its frontline workers in the US had contracted coronavirus. Amazon faced flak from staff and unions that alleged it exposed employees to danger by keeping its warehouses open during the pandemic. Twitter became first major tech company in May to allow employees to work remotely indefinitely. Microsoft said earlier this month that the company will allow employees to work up to half of their work hours remotely. Facebook had said it would allow its employees to work from home till July next year, while Google had extended the remote working period for employees who do not need to be in the office till June. (With Reuters inputs)

Amazon to allow employees to work from home till June 2021

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday. 
 
Amid the WFH strategy, 53 per cent businesses also reported a drop in productivity of call centre agents. 
 
Some of the challenges listed were internet connectivity, telecom issues, practical constraints such as lack of privacy, space, noise cancellation, lack of desktops and laptops, according to the study by on-demand cloud communication and telephony solutions provider Ozonetel. 
 
"The pandemic has made contact centres look at the services that they provide and how they provide it," said Chaitanya Chokkareddy, Chief Innovation Officer, Ozonetel. 
 
"At the start of the lockdown in March, we promptly assisted many of our clients to move their agents to a work from home mode to help with business continuity plan very quickly," he added. 
 
Nearly 71 per cent of call centre agents mentioned internet connectivity as the biggest barriers to agent productivity, followed by telecom issues by 42 per cent. 
 
The study found that while 61 per cent call centre agents were happy with work from structure initially, gradually their motivation levels dropped. 
 
In spite of all challenges, most companies continue to realise the risk that commute and working from of?ce pose. 55% call centres are letting agents opt for work from home, while 16% are not opening of?ces, and keeping work from home mandatory. 
 
Many call centres have seen the value in creating a robust work from home process even if they do not switch to work from home permanently, or if they are still undecided. 
 
Nearly 38 per cent call centres said they will create a robust work-from-home process. 
 
"We have analysed various metrics to determine and understand trends in customer experience as well as agent efficiency as call centres switch to work from home," Chaitanya said. 
 
The study was done on 50 organisations to uncover the state of the call centre agents during Covid-19 lockdown. 
 
Many of the productivity challenges that call center agents face can be solved when provided with better hardware such as better handsets and headsets, laptops or desktops, direct telecom DID numbers and reimbursement of Wi-Fi charges, the findings showed.

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday.

Signalling the future of work in the pandemic times, nearly one in three call centres (27 per cent) in India will switch permanently to work from home as a viable long-term strategy, a new report said on Monday. Amid the WFH strategy, 53 per cent businesses also reported a drop in productivity of call centre agents. Some of the challenges listed were internet connectivity, telecom issues, practical constraints such as lack of privacy, space, noise cancellation, lack of desktops and laptops, according to the study by on-demand cloud communication and telephony solutions provider Ozonetel. "The pandemic has made contact centres look at the services that they provide and how they provide it," said Chaitanya Chokkareddy, Chief Innovation Officer, Ozonetel. "At the start of the lockdown in March, we promptly assisted many of our clients to move their agents to a work from home mode to help with business continuity plan very quickly," he added. Nearly 71 per cent of call centre agents mentioned internet connectivity as the biggest barriers to agent productivity, followed by telecom issues by 42 per cent. The study found that while 61 per cent call centre agents were happy with work from structure initially, gradually their motivation levels dropped. In spite of all challenges, most companies continue to realise the risk that commute and working from of?ce pose. 55% call centres are letting agents opt for work from home, while 16% are not opening of?ces, and keeping work from home mandatory. Many call centres have seen the value in creating a robust work from home process even if they do not switch to work from home permanently, or if they are still undecided. Nearly 38 per cent call centres said they will create a robust work-from-home process. "We have analysed various metrics to determine and understand trends in customer experience as well as agent efficiency as call centres switch to work from home," Chaitanya said. The study was done on 50 organisations to uncover the state of the call centre agents during Covid-19 lockdown. Many of the productivity challenges that call center agents face can be solved when provided with better hardware such as better handsets and headsets, laptops or desktops, direct telecom DID numbers and reimbursement of Wi-Fi charges, the findings showed.

1 in 3 call centres in India to switch permanently to work from home

Cyber warriors on NATO's eastern edge are warning that the growing number of people working from home globally due to the pandemic is increasing vulnerability to cyber attacks.

The Baltic state of Estonia hosts two cyber facilities for the Western military alliance -- set up following a series of cyber attacks from neighbour Russia more than a decade ago.

"Large scale use of remote work has attracted spies, thieves and thugs," Jaak Tarien, head of NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), told AFP in an interview.

The increased amount of information travelling between institutional servers and home networks is creating new challenges for employers.

"Tackling these new challenges is complicated and requires a lot of resources as well as a different kind of approach," Tarien said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-behind-cyberattack-on-parliament-norway-335097">Also read|&nbsp;Russia behind cyberattack on parliament: Norway</a>

"We are likely only scratching the surface in assessing the magnitude of malicious activities taking place in the Covid-era busy cyberspace."

An EU-wide survey in September found that around a third of employees were working from home.

Boom in online courses

The concerns are echoed at NATO's Cyber Range -- a heavily-guarded facility protected by barbed wire in the centre of the capital Tallinn run by Estonian defence forces.

The server rooms inside serve as a platform for NATO cyber security exercises and training.

"Specialists have set up the work infrastructure, but they cannot control the way people use their home internet or how secure it is," said Mihkel Tikk, head of the Estonian defence ministry's cyber policy department.

Tikk said the latest cyberattacks have targeted Estonia's health sector and Mobile-ID -- the mobile phone based digital ID.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-proposition-says-russia-over-new-nuclear-agreement-with-us-335093">Also read|&nbsp;Unacceptable proposition, says Russia over new nuclear agreement with US</a>

The coronavirus pandemic has also affected operations at the cyber facilities themselves, forcing the cancellation of offline exercises.

But the NATO Cyber Defence Centre said the silver lining is the growing popularity of the cyber security courses it is putting online.

The online courses include "Fighting a Botnet Attack", "Operational Cyber Threat Intelligence" and "IT Systems Attack and Defence".

There were 6,411 students by September 1 and the centre is aiming for 10,000 by the end of 2020.

'A massive mistake'

The Cyber Defence Centre was set up following a series of cyberattacks of unprecedented sophistication on Estonian websites in 2007.

The Russian pro-Kremlin youth organisation Nashi later claimed responsibility.

These days, Estonia faces a "continuous flow of attacks" and repelling them requires constant work, Defence Minister Juri Luik told AFP.

But he said the country was in "a pretty good situation" since it has had time to learn from past experience.

"We have worked diligently to guarantee that the computer networks are difficult to break in and the communication is encrypted –- both military but also civilian communication.

"So I think it is relatively more difficult to harm Estonia than many other countries who perhaps are not so used to working via cyberspace and haven't given too much attention to cyber defence," he said.

The minister underlined that all this work would be for nothing without basic cyber hygiene, including password protection.

"This is extremely important and should be remembered -- especially now that many people work from home via computer.

"At home you might let your guard down and that's of course a massive mistake."

Cyber warriors on NATO's eastern edge are warning that the growing number of people working from home globally due to the pandemic is increasing vulnerability to cyber attacks.

Cyber warriors on NATO's eastern edge are warning that the growing number of people working from home globally due to the pandemic is increasing vulnerability to cyber attacks. The Baltic state of Estonia hosts two cyber facilities for the Western military alliance -- set up following a series of cyber attacks from neighbour Russia more than a decade ago. "Large scale use of remote work has attracted spies, thieves and thugs," Jaak Tarien, head of NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), told AFP in an interview. The increased amount of information travelling between institutional servers and home networks is creating new challenges for employers. "Tackling these new challenges is complicated and requires a lot of resources as well as a different kind of approach," Tarien said. Also read| Russia behind cyberattack on parliament: Norway "We are likely only scratching the surface in assessing the magnitude of malicious activities taking place in the Covid-era busy cyberspace." An EU-wide survey in September found that around a third of employees were working from home. Boom in online courses The concerns are echoed at NATO's Cyber Range -- a heavily-guarded facility protected by barbed wire in the centre of the capital Tallinn run by Estonian defence forces. The server rooms inside serve as a platform for NATO cyber security exercises and training. "Specialists have set up the work infrastructure, but they cannot control the way people use their home internet or how secure it is," said Mihkel Tikk, head of the Estonian defence ministry's cyber policy department. Tikk said the latest cyberattacks have targeted Estonia's health sector and Mobile-ID -- the mobile phone based digital ID. Also read| Unacceptable proposition, says Russia over new nuclear agreement with US The coronavirus pandemic has also affected operations at the cyber facilities themselves, forcing the cancellation of offline exercises. But the NATO Cyber Defence Centre said the silver lining is the growing popularity of the cyber security courses it is putting online. The online courses include "Fighting a Botnet Attack", "Operational Cyber Threat Intelligence" and "IT Systems Attack and Defence". There were 6,411 students by September 1 and the centre is aiming for 10,000 by the end of 2020. 'A massive mistake' The Cyber Defence Centre was set up following a series of cyberattacks of unprecedented sophistication on Estonian websites in 2007. The Russian pro-Kremlin youth organisation Nashi later claimed responsibility. These days, Estonia faces a "continuous flow of attacks" and repelling them requires constant work, Defence Minister Juri Luik told AFP. But he said the country was in "a pretty good situation" since it has had time to learn from past experience. "We have worked diligently to guarantee that the computer networks are difficult to break in and the communication is encrypted –- both military but also civilian communication. "So I think it is relatively more difficult to harm Estonia than many other countries who perhaps are not so used to working via cyberspace and haven't given too much attention to cyber defence," he said. The minister underlined that all this work would be for nothing without basic cyber hygiene, including password protection. "This is extremely important and should be remembered -- especially now that many people work from home via computer. "At home you might let your guard down and that's of course a massive mistake."

Cyber warriors sound warning on working from home

Seattle-based technology giant Microsoft has decided to expand its work-from-home policy and make it permanent for some workers.

The company has released the new "hybrid workplace" guidance that lays out how employees can have a more flexible remote work schedule and even relocate elsewhere in the country, while it continues to adjust to changing needs during the ongoing pandemic.

Microsoft will allow employees to work from home freely for less than 50 per cent of their working week, and managers will be able to approve permanent remote work.

"We will offer as much flexibility as possible to support individual work styles, while balancing business needs, and ensuring we live our culture," Kathleen Hogan, Microsoft's chief people officer, said in a post on the official Microsoft Blog.

"To address this, we have provided guidance to employees to make informed decisions around scenarios that could include changes to their worksite, work location, and/or work hours once offices are open without any COVID-19 restrictions."

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he is focused on three major considerations of how the nature of work is changing amid the pandemic: how collaboration happens, how learning happens inside companies and how to ensure employees aren't burning out.

The company also said that most employees' work schedules were also flexible, meaning start and end times for workdays were no longer standard.

Employees can move across country for remote work, but compensation and benefits will vary depending on the the company's own geopay scale. Those who move will need to cover their own relocation expenses. Microsoft will cover home office expenses for permanent remote workers.

Flexible working hours will be available without manager approval, the company stressed, adding that some roles still require access to Microsoft offices, hardware, data centres and in-person training.

"Flexibility can mean different things to each of us and we recognize there is no one-size-fits-all solution given the variety of roles, work requirements and business needs we have at Microsoft," Hogan said.

Microsoft was one of the first companies to shift its tech workforce remotely when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March. Other tech giants such as Twitter and Zillow have said they will allow employees to work from home indefinitely.&nbsp;

Seattle-based technology giant Microsoft has decided to expand its work-from-home policy and make it permanent for some workers. The company has released the new "hybrid workplace" guidance that lays out how employees can have a more flexible remote work schedule and even relocate elsewhere in the country, while it continues to adjust to changing needs during the ongoing pandemic.

Seattle-based technology giant Microsoft has decided to expand its work-from-home policy and make it permanent for some workers. The company has released the new "hybrid workplace" guidance that lays out how employees can have a more flexible remote work schedule and even relocate elsewhere in the country, while it continues to adjust to changing needs during the ongoing pandemic. Microsoft will allow employees to work from home freely for less than 50 per cent of their working week, and managers will be able to approve permanent remote work. "We will offer as much flexibility as possible to support individual work styles, while balancing business needs, and ensuring we live our culture," Kathleen Hogan, Microsoft's chief people officer, said in a post on the official Microsoft Blog. "To address this, we have provided guidance to employees to make informed decisions around scenarios that could include changes to their worksite, work location, and/or work hours once offices are open without any COVID-19 restrictions." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he is focused on three major considerations of how the nature of work is changing amid the pandemic: how collaboration happens, how learning happens inside companies and how to ensure employees aren't burning out. The company also said that most employees' work schedules were also flexible, meaning start and end times for workdays were no longer standard. Employees can move across country for remote work, but compensation and benefits will vary depending on the the company's own geopay scale. Those who move will need to cover their own relocation expenses. Microsoft will cover home office expenses for permanent remote workers. Flexible working hours will be available without manager approval, the company stressed, adding that some roles still require access to Microsoft offices, hardware, data centres and in-person training. "Flexibility can mean different things to each of us and we recognize there is no one-size-fits-all solution given the variety of roles, work requirements and business needs we have at Microsoft," Hogan said. Microsoft was one of the first companies to shift its tech workforce remotely when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March. Other tech giants such as Twitter and Zillow have said they will allow employees to work from home indefinitely.

Microsoft to expand its work from home policy, make it permanent for some staff

Facebook Inc will allow employees to work from home until July 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak and will give them $1,000 for home office needs, a spokeswoman for the social media giant said on Thursday.

The company joins other big technology firms that have taken similar steps recently.

Late in July, Alphabet Inc's Google said it would allow employees who do not need to be in the office to work from home until the end of June 2021, while Twitter Inc had proposed remote work indefinitely for some of its employees.

"Based on guidance from health and government experts, as well as decisions drawn from our internal discussions about these matters, we are allowing employees to continue voluntarily working from home until July 2021", a Facebook spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

"In addition, we are giving employees an additional $1,000 for home office needs," it added.

Facebook also said that the company will continue reopening offices in a restricted capacity where government guidance permits and where virus mitigation has taken place for about two months.

However, the company added that it was unlikely many locations will reopen in the United States and Latin America before the end of the year, due to the high number of COVID-19 cases.

Facebook Inc will allow employees to work from home until July 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak and will give them $1,000 for home office needs, a spokeswoman for the social media giant said on Thursday.

Facebook Inc will allow employees to work from home until July 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak and will give them $1,000 for home office needs, a spokeswoman for the social media giant said on Thursday. The company joins other big technology firms that have taken similar steps recently. Late in July, Alphabet Inc's Google said it would allow employees who do not need to be in the office to work from home until the end of June 2021, while Twitter Inc had proposed remote work indefinitely for some of its employees. "Based on guidance from health and government experts, as well as decisions drawn from our internal discussions about these matters, we are allowing employees to continue voluntarily working from home until July 2021", a Facebook spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "In addition, we are giving employees an additional $1,000 for home office needs," it added. Facebook also said that the company will continue reopening offices in a restricted capacity where government guidance permits and where virus mitigation has taken place for about two months. However, the company added that it was unlikely many locations will reopen in the United States and Latin America before the end of the year, due to the high number of COVID-19 cases.

Facebook employees to work from home until July 2021; get $1,000 for home offices

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