Not long after tech companies shifted staff home in March, executives started to draw up plans for a staggered return, when employees would start coming back to half-empty offices and Plexiglas workstations.

The surge of coronavirus cases over the summer halted those plans. Facebook, Google and Uber have extended their mostly remote policies until July 2021, and others have pushed out deadlines for returning to the office indefinitely. Managers have recalibrated to address the needs of staff who will be operating remotely for longer than first thought.  

Among them, Apple and Uber have tweaked performance reviews to reflect the new work-life strains. Square is compensating for at-home costs. And several companies, from giant Salesforce to small startups, are expanding services for mental health.