Google’s Chelsea campus in New York recently faced an unusual “bug” problem when a bedbug infestation forced the tech giant to instruct employees to work from home. According to a Wired report, staff at the New York office received an email alerting them to “credible evidence” of bedbugs, prompting a rapid shut-down of on-site activity so the building could be professionally treated.
Exterminators were called in, and the campus was reportedly cleared of pests before the following workday. Employees were advised to report any signs of bites or bedbugs in the office, and to contact exterminators if evidence was found at home. While unconfirmed, inside sources suggested that “a number of large stuffed animals” in the office might have been the culprit behind the infestation.
As a precaution, Google is conducting checks at its other New York locations, including the Hudson Square campus.
This incident coincides with Google’s recent tightening of its ‘work from anywhere’ (WFA) policy. The company has placed new restrictions on remote work, barring employees from using WFA allowances to work from home nearby or from travel destinations, citing legal and financial complexity. Earlier, staff could work from destinations of their choice for up to four weeks per year.
Although the infestation has reportedly been dealt with, Google’s unusual campus crisis highlights an increasingly complex office environment—where both literal and policy “bugs” can change work routines on short notice.
