Payments giant Square joins Twitter in allowing staff to work from home permanently
Square has joined Twitter in permitting employees to work from home on a permanent basis in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, Jack Dorsey -- the chief executive of both Twitter and Square -- informed Square staff that will have the option to stick with remote working practices even after offices are allowed to fully reopen.
Employees in many industries, including the technology sector, have been asked to work remotely when possible to lessen the spread of the novel coronavirus. Working from home has become the new norm for many, and it is expected that the rapid transition to this model will continue to influence the enterprise landscape in the future.
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At the time of writing, there are close to 4.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, with the US, Russia, and Brazil hardest hit, according to official figures.
San Francisco, CA-based Square, which also has offices in countries including Canada, Japan, and Australia, does not have a concrete timeline for when physical office locations will reopen. The company accounts for close to 4,000 staff.
In an emailed statement to sister site CNET, a Square spokesperson said, "We want employees to be able to work where they feel most creative and productive."
The spokesperson added that staff "will be able to work from home permanently, even once offices begin to reopen."
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Earlier this month, Dorsey announced that Twitter employees could choose to work from home on a permanent basis in response to these "unprecedented times." The microblogging platform also suspended all non-crucial events and travel due to the pandemic.
Twitter and Square are not the only tech giants that have allowed employees to stay out of the office. Google has asked staff across the US to work from home -- many of which are expected to stay there until the end of the year -- and Apple, too, implemented remote work policies in March.
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However, the iPad and iPhone maker is reportedly gearing up to return employees to offices gradually over the next few months.
In May, Square reported Q1 2020 net losses of $106 million, or 24 cents a share. COVID-19 was cited as a reason for the recent financial challenges faced by the payments provider.
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