Why is Management "dying" to get us back in the office ?

Anonymous

March 21,2022 at 8:47AM UTC

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Why is Management "dying" to get us back in the office ?

I notice that recently we have many post from fellow fairies who really struggle with being forced back into the office either for full time or as hybrid.

So why is Management “dying” to get us back into the office ?

I fully understand, accept and support that companies and Management need to bring employees physical together from time to time for sparing, bouncing, team events and meetings, brainstorming etc. in order to strengthen the cooperation across teams, departments and units. But also to evolve as companies and industries.

Example: if I were to be forced to go into the office e.g. each Thursday; I would sit in online meetings all day long with ear pods on. If going each Wednesday; this would suite me perfectly – however those weekdays is my close colleague stilling in online meetings all day long. So where is the higher purpose forcing us back into the office ?

Yes – I know that being visible in the office also automatically adds to one becoming easier approachable and that colleagues working completely remote struggle at onboarding in new positions or companies. That they sometimes feel “ghosted” as they are out of site from other colleagues.

However: working for many years now in global companies and global positions; I would point this back to Management and company culture. It is more time-consuming to onboard new colleagues working remote. It does take more effort to create team spirit when employees are placed in different locations and time zones. So what ? Those days were long gone where Managers walked the floor with a piece of paper in the hand and small talked with each and every employee even before the pandemic.

And looking from an environmental perspective: working more from home actually saves energy on a global scale. Some may say: ohh – but those office buildings... Companies need to spend them on something. So accommodate several companies into those buildings instead of continuing building more. Why cant 2-3-4 companies share the same facilities in a building (rest rooms, canteen, meeting rooms) and just obtain designated offices.

So why is Management “dying” to get us back into the office ?

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AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 12:21PM UTC
No, not all employees.
I think some people do need managers just like there are some people that thrive in office settings. People who are independent workers and don’t need a lot of attention and direction at work can really do without managers. Independent workers tend to be solid decision-makers and high performers. They are likely to outshine their managers with their knowledge and performance. They are doers and are best suited for remote work.
AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 1:56PM UTC
Dear... I think you hit a nail here. Some people do thrive when working in office settings. Thank you very much for your input :-)
AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 1:01PM UTC
There could be several reasons. Culture, leadership mindset, logistics for the service being delivered, and an employer's adaptability to change are all factors. Personally, I feel that the most hard-line employers demanding 100% return to in-person office work are brittle in the face of change and may be obsessed with regaining absolute control over their workforce to justify costs. They may be attempting to go back to what worked pre-pandemic without realizing the model for success may have changed. Remote work has created appealing opportunities for flexibility as well as shed light on inconvenient truths about how we work and manage. Businesses have to embrace change to survive long term.
AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 1:58PM UTC
Dear... I am so with you on this feedback. The model for success has truely changed over the past couple of years and also proven that local offices can function well even when many employees are working from home. Thank you so much for your input :-)
AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 2:40PM UTC
I think because it's not just about nameless, faceless drones doing the work. There is do much more to a vibrant, successful and growing company.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 5:13AM UTC
Dear...
I fully support you on this. Perhaps we should split the setup into development and production where development require employees to be physically together for growth while production is more "go execute". Thank you so much for your input :-)
AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 7:44PM UTC
I've never been a big fan of office culture!
However, I get remote/ hybrid isn't for everyone, too. The articles I've read online have been a mixed bag of reasons, some say it has to do with the expensive commercial leases companies are paying on, so they'd prefer to have a people in office to justify that cost, others have said it's because there are benefits to boosting company morale, socialization, collaboration etc. I don't know, nothing I've read so far has convinced me that the traditional office culture is the way. I know a few people that have returned to an office environment and it's a mix of what you're saying above. People work cross-functionally on teams or report into someone who doesn't even live in the same location/or share the same office hours. There's discrepancies about mask mandates in office, some places don't enforce, others still do. There's issues with the number of people who can be in a meeting room at a time (I know people who have to join meetings still via Zoom at work because they aren't allowed to share the same space). It's the same all the way down to sharing common areas, it's limited on what's available to folks and how these shared space work so it doesn't promote a biohazard to all. So, until there are clear policies in place and everyone is aligned to how they should be conducting themselves in the office, this is a HARD convo to have. I've yet to see a company "figure it out" overnight, but it will take time. I'm convinced that most people want to return because they "miss" the socialization/routine (people-to-people) that comes with work.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 5:18AM UTC
Dear... You are so right. People do miss the socialization/routine/personal interaction and personal contact. Perhaps some employees will at some point even discover that they miss own development and human contact when working from home ? Thank you so much for your input :-)
SusanMarch 22,2022 at 2:58PM UTC
Speaking as a contractor, I have found it close to impossible to get a strong sense of who everyone is, and how to read them with remote work. Questions or training that would flow naturally in office, become harder and less intuitive with remote. Also, I believe people become much more insular and don’t look at team and big picture processes as well. Just my personal experience as a contractor for 3 years.
Cindy Ray Van HornMarch 22,2022 at 3:24PM UTC
I am one of the newer employees at my company, many of my co-workers have been here for 10+ years. I see a definite practice here of the seasoned employees not sharing information because, and they have said " if I show you everything I know then I have no job security." These employees would rather work from home and protect their knowledge, this does not create a team environment at all. One particular employee told me yesterday that she doesn't think we need a manager because our last manager wouldn't give her what she wanted so she just went around her.
AngieMarch 22,2022 at 4:30PM UTC
That sounds like a work culture issue that might have been fostered by mass lay-offs prior to you working there. I worked as a contractor at a company last year where lay-offs happened prior to me working there and the remaining employees had the same attitude. It would make more sense to document the knowledge and best practices of seasoned employees for cross-training purposes or at the very least to make sure there is a road map.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 3:25PM UTC
I currently have a hybrid team and risk losing more than I'd like if the return to office is made permanent. I've found that the mood stays more positive and there is a lot less drama when people aren't forced to work next to someone all day. You can't hear the person that talks to themselves nonstop. The office gossip isn't getting into everyone's ears. The little negative things really add up when people are already struggling with uncertainty.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 3:36PM UTC
My theory on return to work is that it's about expensive office space and culture. Yes, there are toxic cultures, however there are also work cultures that aren't toxic and people rally around a cause or service bigger than themselves with positive energy and synergy.
Here's a paper you might enjoy regarding managers. https://wol.iza.org/articles/bosses-matter-the-effects-of-managers-on-workers-performance/long
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 3:44PM UTC
Spot on Anita :) I think in the UK the Government wants people wasting money on Transport costs, its taxed, as well as spending money at sandwich shop/bars etc. . Working from home means we actually occupy our largest asset, and make most use of it. Going into the office just once a week, or less , for a team meeting has to be the way to go. As you say we all have less spend on clothing too, and for me so much less stress. Appreciate there are those who like escaping from home, well great, they can go in if they wish
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 5:05PM UTC
Hi, US here. For my corner of the world, I believe it goes beyond management even. Just recently the POTUS was urging companies to get back to the office. It's the infrastructure overall that's at risk (from their POV, that is). Transportation systems, downtown businesses (office space and vendors) geared towards bustling worker bees. They want to get back to the status quo.
Now having said that, I do believe it's important to allow people who want to be in an office space have the choice. But just as they have the choice to commute every day or have a hybrid schedule, those that work efficiently should be able to WFH as long as their performance is maintained.
Visibility is a sham. I've personally been able to garner even more visibility at my "global" company during the pandemic than if it had never happened. I've had 3 raises and promotions within the last year.
Companies have to at least consider the option of allowing remote work, and therefore create some guidelines in response to those that prefer it (ie. performance levels, what is deemed as a necessary/required office visit, etc.). Especially with the gas prices right now, they need to either fold on remote or prepare for COLA or at the VERY least, gas compensation packages for employees that live further than a certain distance from the office.
Either way the status quo will not and should not "bounce back" to the way it was without providing for and acknowledging the needs of the worker bees that maintain it.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 5:08PM UTC
we have them by the balls. . . time to apply pressure!
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 10:04PM UTC
I disagree. I think that you chose to live knowing where the office is in the office should not have to pay for your gas because you’re not far away. That was your choice
AnonymousMarch 23,2022 at 12:17PM UTC
Our office moved 50 miles away a yr after I joined the company and bought my first home.
Incidentally that year was 2020. Anonymous. It's virtually impossible to interview for other in person positions when you are that removed from your base.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 6:05PM UTC
At my company a lot of it is about having our manufacturing employees drive past an empty parking lot. Our headquarters building is right next to two of our manufacturing facilities... during the height of the pandemic, upper management didn't like the optics of the plant employees having to drive past empty parking lots while the office folks all worked from home. Not about productivity at all... just optics.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 9:13PM UTC
They could have asked rental car companies to park their cars in the lot!
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 6:56PM UTC
I actually left a WFH position 7 years ago because I wanted to work in an office with people. After my kids left home, it was downright lonely and phone calls and video meetings didn't cut it. After working 9-10 hours a day (because that's what some of us tend to do when we WFH) the last thing I had energy to do was get dressed and go out and socialize. I like being in meetings and talking to people in the break room and brainstorming face-to-face. So I look forward to a hybrid situation when we go back to the office.
For some reason, managers get the false sense of security by having butts in seats, even though we all know that person who still disappears for hours at a time, and that person who is expert at watching Netflix on their phone, in their cubicle. So if you've proven you can get your work done and you are available as needed, you should have the option to WFH. If you disappear and don't get your work done, then that WFH option should be taken away from you - not everyone on the team. Just my opinion.
I also have an issue with "this department has to work on site so everyone has to work on site." That's like saying everyone in the company should be paid the same salary. If it's made clear when you are hired that some folks work from home, some don't - then that should be the end of it.
AnonymousMarch 22,2022 at 9:12PM UTC
They have control issues and status issues. It has nothing to do with efficiency.