COVID-19 crisis: These companies allow employees to work from home 'forever'

The coronavirus pandemic has upended lives, work, jobs, and almost everything. However, many companies have chosen to fight back the virus by opting for newer ways to run businesses. Across the globe, companies have embraced work-from-home as a permanent solution for their employees even if the pandemic gets over.

Here's a list of firms that have allowed their staff to work from home 'forever':

1. Twitter

The micro-blogging platform, Twitter, was the first company to allow its employees to work from home permanently. The company, however, did not specify which roles will qualify for work-from-home. The San Francisco-based company employs more than 4,000 people across its global offices.

2. Facebook

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had said that as many as 50 per cent of his company's staff could work from home with the next five to ten years. Zuckerberg pitched the idea as both a matter of satisfying employee desires and also as an effort to create "more broad-based economic prosperity."

Facebook employees, who wish to work remotely, and are approved to do so, will be paid based on their new location, Zuckerberg added.

3. Shopify

Canadian e-commerce website Shopify has also closed its offices for now. Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify, tweeted saying, "Office centricity is over". As of today, Shopify is a digital; default company.

"The future of the office is to act as an on-ramp to the same digital workplace that you can access from your #WFH setup," Lutke tweeted.

Shopify has more than 10 lakh businesses in about 175 countries with total gross merchandise volume exceeding $41.1 billion.

4.Square

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's other company Square has allowed its staff to work from home even if offices begin to reopen. Square said it wanted its staff to be able to work where they want in an environment that suits them.

5. Coinbase

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced that his digital currency exchange, headquartered in San Francisco, is "moving to a remote-first policy in light of COVID-19, meaning most employees will have the option to work from home". "Over the last two months, I have come to believe that not only is remote work here to stay but that it represents a huge opportunity and strategic advantage for us," Armstrong added.

At Coinbase, employees will still be able to work in an office, but they will now have the option to work remotely or split their time between time working in and out of the office.

6. BitPay

Bitcoin payment and wallet company BitPay has also decided to allow its employees to work-from-home permanently.

At present, the BitPay team is working remotely due to COVID-19. And, after the pandemic, the employees will have the option to open offices or remain remote. "We plan to have office space for meet-ups, training, customer events, and company gatherings and events", BitPay said.

7. Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has told its employees that can work from home "forever" if they wish to do.

The beverage manufacturer had decided to help its employees with monthly wi-fi expenses, and it will also install UPS for power-back up at its staff homes. Additionally, Hindustan Coco-Cola has offered to provide chairs from its office to the eligible employees to their homes on request.

Employees can also avail of monetary support to purchase tables, headphones, lamps, webcam, external microphones, even a coffee mug or flower arrangement.

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