Posted on 09/13/2022 7:06:45 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
In June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk demanded that all employees return to their onsite workspaces, according to a leaked e-mail thread. If workers refused, Musk would consider it a resignation.
Again the news today is that the NY Times can't get people back to work. However, I won't post the link.
(Excerpt) Read more at shrm.org ...
Yup. My employer sold off entire buildings after we started WFH.
Before Covid I worked 3 days/week in the office. Now I work 1 day/week in the office. A hybrid solution of between 1-3 days in the office is the way to go and the best of both worlds.
After the employees get laid off for job abandonment. . . .they can always Learn to Code. . . (grin)
There are so many awful things about working in an office:
—Laquisha two cubicles down talking (very loudly) on the phone all day about personal business
—Endless stupid meetings, often called with minimal warning, often on topics that have very little to do with your particular job
—Interruptions of all kinds that disrupt the flow of work
—”Covering” for other folks who “call out”—so your tasks cannot get done
—The commute—life is too short to waste your time on that if it can be avoided
I could go on and on....
I completely agree that it it works, and a sober analysis is done, that there are many jobs that could done remotely and a company will benefit from it.
In my particular industry, they had been looking at a partial work from home option about a year before COVID landed, and we were well positioned from technical planning, budgeting, and workflow perspectives to begin and expand it.
It was done because the specialties primarily under consideration COULD do a degree of remote work, and it was being looked at as a recruitment tool and life balance improvement.
The point is, my employer had been looking at it from early on as something that could benefit both the employer and employee, analyzed and implemented it with that in mind, rather than having a figurative gun pointed at their heads by employee demands.
In our case, it was a win-win scenario for all involved and had nothing to do with being forced to do so. But circumstances, workflows and conditions are different not only within our industry, but across industries.
When employees work from home, the work gets done.
When employees work from home, the employees save the money and time otherwise used on commuting.
Without employees in the office, the companies can reduce their office space and save money.
It’s win-win.
I am more productive and work longer hours from home. And I travel frequently. An office space is a waste.
Then they can work from home :)
Just an observation, with all the people apparently working from home out there, how come the traffic still sucks?
True but they probably have never and will never be given the chance to work remotely, it’s different when you work remotely and then have it taken away
Probably workers running their errands :)
“—Laquisha two cubicles down talking (very loudly) on the phone all day about personal business”
Well, I supervised Edna, a Filipina, who spent hours a day on the phone speaking Tagalog to family and friends. She was receptionist but IGNORED visitors. I discussed with my boss, Director of H.R., but I was told to “stand down”. All I wanted was for her to speak English because it was so damn RUDE clicking away her gibberish — and discussing us (it was obvious).
“—Endless stupid meetings, often called with minimal warning, often on topics that have very little to do with your particular job”
Excruciating staff meetings when my eyes almost got tired from rolling. For every meeting I took a clean copy of “Wonk Word Bingo” to see how long before I scored.
“-The commute—life is too short to waste your time on that if it can be avoided”
That’s one reason we relocated from CA to TN. When Obama’s policies caused DH’s office to close they were going to transfer him to a new location — from Simi Valley to Seal Beach. Two hours each way. Nope.
In major U.S. cities with extensive transit systems, a disproportionate amount of the vehicular traffic on the road falls into two categories:
1. commercial vehicles transporting cargo
2. automobiles driven by workers who need to travel for work during the day
“Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.....Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.....Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.....Corporate accounts payable, Nina speaking. *JUST* a moment.....”
I have one project where working at home is a benefit. It’s an annual 3 week thing that requires extra hours and I can’t afford excessive face to face meetings.
Other than that, I don’t see the point at being at home. A lot of work gets done based on two minute by-the-way conversations that are hard to do over Zoom.
I also have fun at my work place. We are a people industry and I enjoy many of my coworkers. I can only stay in my apartment staring at my computer and being in camera based meetings so much.
They've learned over the last two and a half years that the employees who are most capable of working from home are predominantly white, and those who do not have the work space and/or equipment and/or technology skills to work from home are predominantly black and Hispanic.
Cube farms and open bullpens significantly impair my ability to get my work done.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have a private office or WFH most of my career.
I think what we’re seeing is a return to a, ‘Butcher, Baker & Candlestick Maker’ type of society. (If they don’t starve us out, first!)
We’re ALL going to eventually be freelancers or owner-operators.
Well, except for me. I’m NEVER going back to outside employment, though I’m not against a few ‘side hustles’ from time to time. ;)
I think a lot of people that are ungrateful for their employment, are going to be begging for any job in about a year or two.
^^^^ THIS, right after the election things are going to change drastically. Those with a “normalcy bias” are in for a painful reality check.
A former co-worker told me last thursday she is still working from home and does not expect to have to go to the office. She says she feels like a hermit.
Two others that moved to other states are still employed months after the mask mandates and getting the chinese vaccine jabs were lifted. They were told if they were asked to come back to the office that they would lose their jobs if they did not.
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