Uber and Facebook going back to the office but not everything will be the same
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- After a year of remote work, Uber and Facebook are saying it's time to go back to the office, if you want to.
"The message they are sending is that the doors are open and that it's your choice," said ABC7 News insider Phil Matier.
INTERACTIVE: Here's the reopening status of every Bay Area county
Workers' temperature will be screened on a daily basis before coming into the office and some amenities won't be provided like lunch and transportation.
"For example the Google buses they use to run up and down the Peninsula. How many people are going to want to get on them? What is the distancing going to be? As far as free food how are people going to feel about the cafeteria-style meal?" said Matier.
Returning to the office will be a slow process. Uber plans to open their Mission Bay offices at 20% capacity. Facebook will open on May 10 at 10% capacity. Both tech companies will continue to have employees working from home.
Uber's new offices are located in San Francisco's Thrive city. Just a couple feet away are several businesses. Dumpling Time is the only restaurant open in the gathering area.
"We want them back," said Dumpling Time manager Ramalah LaBang.
LaBang says they are gearing up for Monday. Seeing Uber open up gives them hope that the "survival mode" of the pandemic is almost over.
"I'm definitely going to bump up my staff a little bit. Add a few more people. We are ready. We are excited and it's going to be nice to have just a little more buzz in the area," said LaBang.
To understand the financial impact of the pandemic, The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce is recording this data.
RELATED: How COVID-19 pandemic forever changed the workplace, what companies are doing going forward
"Tracking foot traffic, business opening and closing that will help us determine if we are covering in the right way. Obviously, some sectors are going to improve more than others. Tourism may be a little slower," explained Rodney Fong, CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
The SF Chamber of Commerce doesn't have a final count of how many businesses closed permanently during the pandemic, but Fong is hopeful that Uber reopening will send a positive message to other companies to come back to the office.
Having trouble loading the tracker above? Click here to open it in a new window.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Map shows which counties can, can't reopen under reopening tiers
- Cheat sheet: What you can and can't do after being fully vaccinated
- How to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in every Bay Area county
- Map shows everywhere you can get a COVID-19 test in the Bay Area
- Interactive map shows what's closed and what's reopening in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Data tracker: Coronavirus cases, deaths, hospitalizations in every Bay Area county
- Third stimulus check calculator: See how much you could get
- COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during pandemic
- Get the latest updates on California EDD, stimulus checks, unemployment benefits
- Coronavirus origin: Where did COVID-19 come from?
- What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic
