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Google saves $1 billion a year working from home, plans to implement hybrid model

In its annual report for 2020, Google parent Alphabet said advertising and promotional expenses dropped by $1.4 billion in 2020.

With pandemic situation improving and COVID restrictions lifting in most parts of the world, there’s one company that is unwilling to resume working offline, especially when they are saving such humongous amount working from home.

During the first quarter, Google parent Alphabet Inc. saved $268 million in expenses from company promotions, travel and entertainment, compared to same period a year earlier, “primarily as a result of COVID-19,” according to a company filing.

On an annualized basis, that would be more than $1 billion. Indeed, Alphabet said in its annual report earlier this year that advertising and promotional expenses dropped by $1.4 billion in 2020 as the company reduced spending, paused or rescheduled campaigns, and changed some events to digital-only formats due to the pandemic. Travel and entertainment expenses fell by $371 million.

However, Google is planning on resuming working from office again, the report said. Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat told investors the company was planning a ‘hybrid’ model and would space staff less densely than before, Bloomberg reported.

The savings offset many of the costs that came with hiring thousands more workers. And the pandemic prudence allowed the company to keep its marketing and administrative costs effectively flat for the first quarter, despite boosting revenue by 34 percent.

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