Divisions and departments scrambling to maintain office space while employees work hybrid or fully remote schedules

Anonymous

June 19,2023 at 11:02PM UTC

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Divisions and departments scrambling to maintain office space while employees work hybrid or fully remote schedules

Are others out there experiencing this at work? Our department's leadership permits working at home or from other sites. However, they're keen on keeping our office space and showing their leadership that they need to keep it because it's used well (when that's not the case at all). Over the last few months, everyone on our team has been asked to scramble and come into the office whenever a VP or COO comes to visit just so it looks like we're all using the office well. Is this becoming the new practice for a lot of orgs, a sort of game of musical chairs where we're all walking around doing our own thing when suddenly we need to run into the building and show every single chair is taken? How long can this really go on? Until the leases expire?

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AnonymousJune 20,2023 at 1:10PM UTC
That can be one of the problems, but is management allowing you to work remotely when the company has mandated a return to in-person work? I'm not sure this is a healthy or sustainable environment. If that is the case, it is a recipe for disaster, as company mandates are not being followed.
Also, management may not want to move to a shared-space environment, which creates logistical problems, especially in a job culture where everyone has "their own space." This would be the likely outcome of reduced floor space when leases renew. When it isn't the case, presenting an image of 100% in-person is a form of deception that is also not sustainable (not to mention unethical).
AnonymousJune 22,2023 at 5:55PM UTC
Companies are still wrestling with the how of post covid office space and remote work. I suspect it will likely take a year or 2 and another winter to sort this out. Leases will expire and companies will assess how to meet in person if there is no office to meet in which means flying people in and more costs for remote things like shipping computers and equipment to folks at home. It is still being worked out and yes you will probably still have to suck up the Exec show of being there when they are around.
AnonymousJune 25,2023 at 4:58AM UTC
They probably have plans to do mandatory "work from the office" soon and they are showing that intention.