Opinion Question Time - Returning to the Office

[alaskanseminole]

I was hired specifically as a work-from-home employee, and I’ve been doing that for the past four years. Now, starting October 1st, my company is requiring me (and my entire team) to return to the office three days a week. The office is downtown, and the commute is $hitty—45 minutes to an hour in the morning and over an hour coming home. This 100% a force shaping activity to push higher-salaried employees (and others) out without having to go through the bad press of another round of layoffs. The official reason given is to "foster collaboration," but my team is spread out all over the country. So, we’re just ending up in random drop-in spaces with people we don't even work with, only to hop back on Microsoft Teams to talk with our actual team members.

My direct supervisor, who also thinks this whole thing is ridiculous and lives in Atlanta, suggested I use my 100% VA disability rating to request a workplace accommodation to continue working from home. My Primary Care Manager (PCM) supports this, too. But honestly, it feels like I’m just complaining, and when I see my disabilities listed on the Medical Evaluation Form, it looks like I should be in a nursing home. My wife tells me to tough it out and says I’m not as bad as my VA rating suggests.

Knowing that my company doesn’t really care about us and is just looking out for their bottom line, should I suck it up and be a team player or focus on looking out for myself? What would you do?

 

[Hawki97]

I was hired specifically as a work-from-home employee, and I’ve been doing that for the past four years. Now, starting October 1st, my company is requiring me (and my entire team) to return to the office three days a week. The office is downtown, and the commute is $hitty—45 minutes to an hour in the morning and over an hour coming home. This 100% a force shaping activity to push higher-salaried employees (and others) out without having to go through the bad press of another round of layoffs. The official reason given is to "foster collaboration," but my team is spread out all over the country. So, we’re just ending up in random drop-in spaces with people we don't even work with, only to hop back on Microsoft Teams to talk with our actual team members.

My direct supervisor, who also thinks this whole thing is ridiculous and lives in Atlanta, suggested I use my 100% VA disability rating to request a workplace accommodation to continue working from home. My Primary Care Manager (PCM) supports this, too. But honestly, it feels like I’m just complaining, and when I see my disabilities listed on the Medical Evaluation Form, it looks like I should be in a nursing home. My wife tells me to tough it out and says I’m not as bad as my VA rating suggests.

Knowing that my company doesn’t really care about us and is just looking out for their bottom line, should I suck it up and be a team player or focus on looking out for myself? What would you do?

Phuck the company. Always look out for yourself. Bleed them dry for everything you can get, including your time. They don't give a shit about you.

I may not have been entirely clear in my response, let me know if I need to clarify anything.

 

[KFsdisciple]

My sister is going through the exact same thing up in Montreal with Telus. They have a union up there and they're trying to fight it.

 

[seminole97]

My direct supervisor, who also thinks this whole thing is ridiculous and lives in Atlanta, suggested I use my 100% VA disability rating to request a workplace accommodation to continue working from home.

This is the way.

You already have your manager’s buy in, and the documentation from the VA (it’s not that you’d be starting the disability process just for this).

Lean on it.

 

[Rifler]

Personally, I would already be back in the office,.. but f you don't want to comply with this just resign and find a new work from home position.

 

[torbee]

Phuck the company. Always look out for yourself. Bleed them dry for everything you can get, including your time. They don't give a shit about you.

I may not have been entirely clear in my response, let me know if I need to clarify anything.

THIS

I guarantee you folks - especially younger ones - with far fewer issues than you are making up B.S. excuses to get out of the office. Your excuses are NOT B.S. - so feel free to utilize the advantage and do not feel guilty about it at all.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Phuck the company. Always look out for yourself. Bleed them dry for everything you can get, including your time. They don't give a shit about you.

I may not have been entirely clear in my response, let me know if I need to clarify anything.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Realistically how much longer do you have with them?


My guess is 5 or less based off conversation and if that is the case, listen to 97.


More than 5, probably go back and maybe look around.

 

[TennNole17]

I was hired specifically as a work-from-home employee, and I’ve been doing that for the past four years. Now, starting October 1st, my company is requiring me (and my entire team) to return to the office three days a week. The office is downtown, and the commute is $hitty—45 minutes to an hour in the morning and over an hour coming home. This 100% a force shaping activity to push higher-salaried employees (and others) out without having to go through the bad press of another round of layoffs. The official reason given is to "foster collaboration," but my team is spread out all over the country. So, we’re just ending up in random drop-in spaces with people we don't even work with, only to hop back on Microsoft Teams to talk with our actual team members.

My direct supervisor, who also thinks this whole thing is ridiculous and lives in Atlanta, suggested I use my 100% VA disability rating to request a workplace accommodation to continue working from home. My Primary Care Manager (PCM) supports this, too. But honestly, it feels like I’m just complaining, and when I see my disabilities listed on the Medical Evaluation Form, it looks like I should be in a nursing home. My wife tells me to tough it out and says I’m not as bad as my VA rating suggests.

Knowing that my company doesn’t really care about us and is just looking out for their bottom line, should I suck it up and be a team player or focus on looking out for myself? What would you do?

Use the accommodation to work from home.

 

[TennNole17]

My department tried this, and eventually gave up. 5 years ago, most of our department was here locally. Since then, we've hired people all over. It makes little sense to "go into an office" if people are just checking into offices in different cities. The "collaboration" is BS.

Source: Me. I work for a LARGE commercial real estate company.

 

[McLovin32]

Phuck the company. Always look out for yourself. Bleed them dry for everything you can get, including your time. They don't give a shit about you.

I may not have been entirely clear in my response, let me know if I need to clarify anything.

 

[SeaPA]

You have a little over 3 weeks to burn down the office building, leaving them no choice but to continue having you work from home.

 

[ISUBryce]

This happened to me in the spring.

I hate being in the office. Once you go back you are not getting back out. You have a legit excuse, use it. You can always go in a day a week or something if it makes sense.

It’s so clearly an effort to get people to quit it’s tough.

 

[EasyHawk]

Phuck the company. Always look out for yourself. Bleed them dry for everything you can get, including your time. They don't give a shit about you.

I may not have been entirely clear in my response, let me know if I need to clarify anything.

But if I were to leave, it would be a huge hardship for my company, what would they do, I have so much in-depth knowledge and I'm the only person that knows how to do certain things. Oh wait, scratch that, they would replace me with a lower paid person in heartbeat and nothing would miss a beat, and they would forget who I am in a couple months. I was confused for a second.

 

[desihawk]

i would echo the others...if you have no advantage going in and have good reasons plus support to continue WFH, go for it.

it is weird/interesting that almost all companies are simultaneously making this policy change. is it monkey see monkey do choreography or some central planning directive?

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Suck it up.

 

[noStemsnoSTICKS]

I'd probably go along to get along, all while searching for other remote work opportunities.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I'd probably go along to get along, all while searching for other remote work opportunities.

Really don't want to work anywhere else. Been with this team 11 years (minus my 2 year stint at NSA) and if we win our next contract it's good for 10 years and gets me across the finish line. Company pisses me off, but my team is fantastic!

 

[mattymoknows]

My department tried this, and eventually gave up. 5 years ago, most of our department was here locally. Since then, we've hired people all over. It makes little sense to "go into an office" if people are just checking into offices in different cities. The "collaboration" is BS.

Source: Me. I work for a LARGE commercial real estate company.

Agreed, I work for a company that requires anyone who resides within an hour of the office to be in 3 days a week. Yet we're a large company with people spread out across the U.S. that NEVER have to go into the office. It makes the locals a little salty to say the least.

Add to it, we have an open desk policy so you just have to find an open desk the days you come in and many days most desks are full before most people get in so you don't even get to sit next your direct team every day.

So frustrating but I respect those that have to drive to work daily and I'll take 2 days if that's all I can get. I also don't mind going in every now and then to connect in person with my team but the pandemic spoiled me with wfh 5 days a week for years.

 

[TennNole17]

Really don't want to work anywhere else. Been with this team 11 years (minus my 2 year stint at NSA) and if we win our next contract it's good for 10 years and gets me across the finish line. Company pisses me off, but my team is fantastic!

You OP indicates your team isn't even local, right? If you truly see no benefit, use the accommodation. Another poster mentioned, once you go in, there's no going back and they are right.

 

[jdw10224405]

As others have said, eff the company, always watch out for your own interests because the company isn't. If you're going into an office only to jump on teams calls all day, there's no point. Sounds like you've got a legit reason to get a work from home accommodation. It's not to say you can't go in sometimes if want to, but no need for any mandatory regular schedule.

We got a similar mandate from our upper management about 6 months ago for 4 days/week in office. Since then some people are complying, some people complied for a couple months and now aren't, some never did comply, and some people it makes no sense to go to an office with zero direct coworkers in it. So far I haven't seen nor heard any consequences for those who didn't comply, which isn't surprising considering most of the mid and lower level management thought the mandate was nonsense. Sounds like your manager is supportive of WFH as well, and that goes a long ways.

 

[Funky Bunch]

You have a little over 3 weeks to burn down the office building, leaving them no choice but to continue having you work from home.

 

[runkpanole]

I would be willing to go hybrid. I really enjoy my mornings on the back deck after dropping the kids off at school though.

 

[alaskanseminole]

You OP indicates your team isn't even local, right?

There are 9 of us in San Antonio; 4 that work on base aka: exempt and then us 5 who are spread out as far as Georgetown (128 mi away). The rest of our team is in Alaska, CA, Ohio, FL, Georgia, etc. They all have to do the same thing, BUT it's one-offs. In other words, for example, our change manager lives 1.5 hours away from the closest AT&T facility with no other teammate in the state. He has to commute in just to "check the box".

If you truly see no benefit, use the accommodation. Another poster mentioned, once you go in, there's no going back and they are right.

That's not the tea-leaves we're reading. AT&T is spending a crap ton of money tracking this RTO effort. Why? Because they are trying to hit very specific numbers. Word is we're close and we'll likely hit them by March (which is the 2nd round of lay-off window--the first being every September). Once they hit the "magic number" the real reason for RTO goes away and those of us supporting national govt contracts are assumed to be able to just fall back to our old working situations--at home or on base.

I should have said I have 3 choices:

1. Suck it up Oct 1st for the long haul
2. Suck it up until March, then if it looks like things won't return to normal for out team, apply for accommodation
3. Apply for accommodation now.

AT&T non-federal teams (e.g., call centers) are screwed. They aren't going anywhere.

Of Note: The building we're assigned to is being leased and AT&T Corporate Real Estate desperately wants out of downtown...they don't want to renew the lease after 2025, so this could resolve itself in 1.5 years that way too. It's a weird situation for our team.

 

[ISUBryce]

I should have said I have 3 choices:

1. Suck it up Oct 1st for the long haul
2. Suck it up until March, then if it looks like things won't return to normal for out team, apply for accommodation
3. Apply for accommodation now.

If you don’t apply for accommodation now, I could see them trying to deny it later. Just my opinion. You could apply for accommodation and still try and go in a bit to be a team player. But it’s a risk IMO.

 

[TennNole17]

I still say do the accomodation

 

[BelemNole]

Could do what I did - agree to it, then not show up.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Could do what I did - agree to it, then not show up.

Repercussions?

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

You have a little over 3 weeks to burn down the office building, leaving them no choice but to continue having you work from home.

Yeah but he is bound to get caught. What OP really needs to do is get so into the head of one of his weirder colleagues that the colleague burns down the office…maybe steal his stapler or something OP.

 

[BelemNole]

Repercussions?

None. My boss talks to me about the 'people who don't show up' without realizing? acknowledging? That I'm only in about twice a month.

 

[alaskanseminole]

None. My boss talks to me about the 'people who don't show up' without realizing? acknowledging? That I'm only in about twice a month.

AT&T is spending $$ on data points for this effort tracking VPN logins, badge swipes, supervisor reports, etc.

 

[BelemNole]

AT&T is spending $$ on data points for this effort tracking VPN logins, badge swipes, supervisor reports, etc.

So get the accommodation. It's just paperwork for them, no one actually cares in a company that size. Do what's best for you and don't have another thought about it.

 

[Hawki97]

AT&T is spending $$ on data points for this effort tracking VPN logins, badge swipes, supervisor reports, etc.

Look at this bullshit. Phuck these guys. I'm so glad I'm retired.***

***I need to get better at staying retired

PwC tells employees it will use location data to police ‘back-to-office’ rule​

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/06/business/pwc-tracking-employees-office-gbr-scli-intl/index.html

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will start tracking where its employees in the United Kingdom work, in a bid to dial back its current work-from-home culture.

Staff at the UK arm of PwC, one of the world’s “Big Four” accounting firms, were this week informed by management that the new policy would take effect on January 1.

A memo sent to the company’s 26,000 UK employees on Thursday and shared with CNN said the measure was being taken to formalize the company’s “approach to working together in person.”

Employees were told they must spend at least three days a week – or 60% of their time – in the office or with clients. Previous guidelines required them to be in for between two and three days each week, but the memo suggests that was not universally adhered to.

It said: “Our business thrives on strong relationships – and those are almost always more easily built and sustained face-to-face… By being physically together, we can offer our clients a differentiated experience and create the positive learning and coaching environment that is key to our success.”

According to PwC, the move is intended to “adjust” the firm’s hybrid working approach and put “more emphasis on in-person working.”

“We all benefit from the positive impact of a hybrid approach, but the previous guidance of at least two to three days a week was open to interpretation. This update aims to provide clarity around where and how we expect everyone to work,” the memo said.

While many staff are already “spending more time in person with your clients and teams,” for others, “time may be needed to settle into new working patterns,” the company told employees.

“With that in mind, we will start sharing your individual working location data with you on a monthly basis from January as we do with other data such as chargeable hours. This will help to ensure that the new policy is being fairly and consistently applied across our business,” it added.

In a press release published online, Laura Hinton, managing partner at PwC UK, said: “Face-to-face working is hugely important to a people business like ours, and the new policy tips the balance of our working week into being located alongside clients and colleagues. This feels right for our business and right for our people, given our focus on client service, coaching, and learning and development. At the same time, we continue to offer flexibility through hybrid working.”

When asked by CNN what would happen if someone did not fully comply, a spokeswoman for PWC said: “If the monthly data shows someone is consistently breaching the policy, we’d first want to understand the reasons why.”

The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a workplace revolution that led to many companies around the world adopting a hybrid approach, allowing employees to balance office-based work with home life.

However, many firms have been taking measures to encourage staff to spend more time in the office.

Earlier this year, IBM told its US-based managers they had to work in the office at least three days a week or leave their positions. Other companies that have taken similar steps include UPS, Amazon, Meta and even Zoom, which played a large part in the work-from-home revolution.

Evidence collected by the CIPD, the professional body for the UK’s human resources industry, suggests that companies with a hybrid-working model generally rate the performance of employees working from home positively, according to Claire McCartney, the organization’s policy and practice manager.

“It makes good business sense for employees or teams to be together on certain specific days, rather than employers needing everyone in because they don’t trust people to be performing effectively remotely,” she said.

“Employers should be seeking to find a balance, where flexibility over where and when people work meets the needs of employees, without compromising the needs of the business,” she added.

 

[General Tso]

I was hired specifically as a work-from-home employee, and I’ve been doing that for the past four years. Now, starting October 1st, my company is requiring me (and my entire team) to return to the office three days a week. The office is downtown, and the commute is $hitty—45 minutes to an hour in the morning and over an hour coming home. This 100% a force shaping activity to push higher-salaried employees (and others) out without having to go through the bad press of another round of layoffs. The official reason given is to "foster collaboration," but my team is spread out all over the country. So, we’re just ending up in random drop-in spaces with people we don't even work with, only to hop back on Microsoft Teams to talk with our actual team members.

My direct supervisor, who also thinks this whole thing is ridiculous and lives in Atlanta, suggested I use my 100% VA disability rating to request a workplace accommodation to continue working from home. My Primary Care Manager (PCM) supports this, too. But honestly, it feels like I’m just complaining, and when I see my disabilities listed on the Medical Evaluation Form, it looks like I should be in a nursing home. My wife tells me to tough it out and says I’m not as bad as my VA rating suggests.

Knowing that my company doesn’t really care about us and is just looking out for their bottom line, should I suck it up and be a team player or focus on looking out for myself? What would you do?

Insert most xyz fortune 500 companies into this storyline unfortunately. The collaboration reason is 100% bullshit.

 

[SF HAWKEYE]

Coming from someone in the office furniture sales world: GET BACK TO THE OFFICE HIPPIES!

 

[BelemNole]

Repercussions?

Update: boss just called and asked if it was alright he put me in for a promotion.

 

[McLovin32]

Update: boss just called and asked if it was alright he put me in for a promotion.

 

[BelemNole]

He called me about it. I told him the only reason I have interest in the job is so they don't hire someone who will come in and fuq up a good thing.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

I really like going in once per week. Our company caters lunch on Tuesdays to get everyone in for some FaceTime. I roll in around 930 or 10 and bounce at 3 to beat traffic.

 

[alaskanseminole]

I really like going in once per week. Our company caters lunch on Tuesdays to get everyone in for some FaceTime. I roll in around 930 or 10 and bounce at 3 to beat traffic.

I'd do that