Is this the end of the open office? At Silicon Valley tech companies, staggered shifts and boxed meals are in, vending machines and snack tubs out
- Apple plans to keep staff apart and stagger their return, while Google and Facebook are redesigning their open floor plans to increase social distancing
- Smaller start-ups face the same issues with their communal spaces. Firms will look to make crowd control subtle rather than airport-like, interior designer says
When the headquarters of Mission Bio reopens on Monday, employees will find many of the familiar perks they enjoyed before Silicon Valley went into lockdown have changed. Instead of the communal trays of catered lunches served a few times a week, each employee will get their own boxed meal.
The snacks will remain free, but the vending machine and tub of almonds will be replaced with canned drinks, bottled water and individually wrapped protein bites.
One new benefit: every two weeks, the start-up plans to provide Covid-19 tests on site to any staff member who wants one.
Mission Bio is returning to the office sooner than most businesses in Northern California. Officials have extended stay-at-home orders until the end of May, and some of the largest technology companies have indicated that they may keep offices closed for even longer.
Mission Bio, which develops cellular chemistry technology, said it decided to reopen after consulting local officials who determined that the start-up’s cancer research qualifies as essential. “Cancer didn’t work from home,” said Nigel Beard, the chief technology officer.