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Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

bloomberg.com

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Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#11

Post by dont__panic »

philistine wrote: post #8
jleyank wrote: post #6

Why is it so hard for businesses or people to understand why people aren't that interested in returning to open-offices or other "modern" ways of warehousing workers? If they all had 1-2 person offices w/door, where knowledge workers could have the quiet and uninterrupted time to work, then you'd probably get some return. If, however, you're asking people to return to mayhem, where they have to use blinders and noise…

I'm in an office with a door. My return to work was bittersweet, but manageable.

Most people don't even have that at home! I suspect if everyone had an office at work for "deep work," the commute would be easier to swallow. I, for one, could save some money on rent by moving to a place with one fewer bedroom.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#12

Post by justsomehnguy »

hyperman1 wrote: post #10

My company merged with a few others, so we are now multi-location. We reorganized, so the people in my room are not the people I work with anymore. Half of the IT workers are temps, externals, consultants, all over the world. So I spent my days in headphones, conducting meetings. Our main office is a drive a few hours away. Because of cost optimization, the building is in a less desirable part of town, and a few coll…

> Why is it so hard for businesses or people to understand

To have a proper answer you need a proper question. The proper one would be "what is the difference between an office and remote worker?". And the answer would be:

1. You have the easiest KPI to measure: butt-in-the-seat/hour. Because making some valid KPIs tied to the business performance is hard and requires to at least to think.

2. If something isn't right you can always come to the drone's desk and shout at him all you want.

3. If something isn't right you can always call a meeting and blame everyone for the fault until some without guts would accept it or just would be tired enough to want it end right now with any means.

With all the points combined it becomes crystal clear what the need to "see and touch" your office drones is because the management is absolutely incompetent both in the business and a human interactions and this is the last option for them to have a sense of control.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#13

Post by hyperman1 »

justsomehnguy wrote: post #12
hyperman1 wrote: post #10

My company merged with a few others, so we are now multi-location. We reorganized, so the people in my room are not the people I work with anymore. Half of the IT workers are temps, externals, consultants, all over the world. So I spent my days in headphones, conducting meetings. Our main office is a drive a few hours away. Because of cost optimization, the building is in a less desirable part of town, and a few coll…

> Why is it so hard for businesses or people to understand To have a proper answer you need a proper question. The proper one would be "what is the difference between an office and remote worker?". And the answer would be: 1. You have the easiest KPI to measure: butt-in-the-seat/hour. Because making some valid KPIs tied to the business performance is hard and requires to at least to think. 2. If something isn't right…

I wish any of these were true, so at least somebody had some use. Unfortunately, the latest reorg means that my manager has to go to another physical location than me. I have in fact never seen my current manager in real life, only by videochat.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#14

Post by Arrath »

hyperman1 wrote: post #10

My company merged with a few others, so we are now multi-location. We reorganized, so the people in my room are not the people I work with anymore. Half of the IT workers are temps, externals, consultants, all over the world. So I spent my days in headphones, conducting meetings. Our main office is a drive a few hours away. Because of cost optimization, the building is in a less desirable part of town, and a few coll…

> On some days, predicted desk usage is above 100%, but management said that's OK because we'll spend our time in meeting rooms anyway, and we're supposed to empty our desk while we're in a meeting room.

Outrageous. Takes me right back to high school and moving between classrooms. Except now you're shooting productivity right in the foot every time you have to pack up and move for a meeting.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#15

Post by zcdziura »

gentleman11 wrote: post #7

The news has said a lot of things like this recently and been inaccurate. The “great resignation” somehow is happening at the same time as record-low unemployment for example, where quitting rates go up by only 1%. I don’t trust them any more to report factually about employment trends

That's because people have been resigning from their old jobs and switching to different ones.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#16

Post by justsomehnguy »

hyperman1 wrote: post #13
justsomehnguy wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why is it so hard for businesses or people to understand To have a proper answer you need a proper question. The proper one would be "what is the difference between an office and remote worker?". And the answer would be: 1. You have the easiest KPI to measure: butt-in-the-seat/hour. Because making some valid KPIs tied to the business performance is hard and requires to at least to think. 2. If something isn't right…

I wish any of these were true, so at least somebody had some use. Unfortunately, the latest reorg means that my manager has to go to another physical location than me. I have in fact never seen my current manager in real life, only by videochat.

BITS/h is still a thing. How can anyone say your team isn't working if everyone is 9/5 in the office?!

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#17

Post by revlolz »

gentleman11 wrote: post #7

The news has said a lot of things like this recently and been inaccurate. The “great resignation” somehow is happening at the same time as record-low unemployment for example, where quitting rates go up by only 1%. I don’t trust them any more to report factually about employment trends

I would argue it was a great migration over resignation. Vast majority of people aren't quitting the workforce, they are obtaining promotions and raises. People being told they weren't good enough for x, did not do enough to earn y, that the company has never supported remote work; all got to see their management's lie. They are more than qualified for x, they can earn 15% above y, and the entire company is doing just fine where leaders foretold jobloss and company destruction. Fwiw I am commenting on office jobs.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#18

Post by fnordpiglet »

zcdziura wrote: post #15
gentleman11 wrote: post #7

The news has said a lot of things like this recently and been inaccurate. The “great resignation” somehow is happening at the same time as record-low unemployment for example, where quitting rates go up by only 1%. I don’t trust them any more to report factually about employment trends

That's because people have been resigning from their old jobs and switching to different ones.

Additionally if you resign and are not looking for work you don’t count as unemployed. Unemployment rates are calculated only for people actively looking for employment.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#19

Post by exabrial »

jleyank wrote: post #6

Why is it so hard for businesses or people to understand why people aren't that interested in returning to open-offices or other "modern" ways of warehousing workers? If they all had 1-2 person offices w/door, where knowledge workers could have the quiet and uninterrupted time to work, then you'd probably get some return. If, however, you're asking people to return to mayhem, where they have to use blinders and noise…

> If they all had 1-2 person offices w/door, where knowledge workers could have the quiet and uninterrupted time to work, then you'd probably get some return.

We've know this "secret" for long awhile, because literally everyone talks about it. We do some schedule office WFH days as well to balance things out.

Re: Workers Are Winning the Return-to-Office War Because They’re Right

#20

Post by solenoidalslide »

Arrath wrote: post #14
hyperman1 wrote: post #10

My company merged with a few others, so we are now multi-location. We reorganized, so the people in my room are not the people I work with anymore. Half of the IT workers are temps, externals, consultants, all over the world. So I spent my days in headphones, conducting meetings. Our main office is a drive a few hours away. Because of cost optimization, the building is in a less desirable part of town, and a few coll…

> On some days, predicted desk usage is above 100%, but management said that's OK because we'll spend our time in meeting rooms anyway, and we're supposed to empty our desk while we're in a meeting room. Outrageous. Takes me right back to high school and moving between classrooms. Except now you're shooting productivity right in the foot every time you have to pack up and move for a meeting.

High school students at least get lockers.
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