Would you bother continuing with interviews process?

[CE0194WN149]

I’m at second stage (out of potential 6 stage) interview for a huge tech company, great role annd step up and will mean at least a £10k wage increase.

But the company has just announced they’re switching from hybrid to full time in office starting from January which is hugely unappealing to me. Currently on a hybrid model which means either DH or I are both able to be at home every day of the week. My DC are older so no childcare as such but I just like catching up with them.

My current job also includes lots of meetings in LA (remotely) so being able to take later calls from home works for me and them. Current employer doesn’t seem to have any intention of making us go back into the office full time, they’re really flexible and I really like my team (for context they are another global company but not tech).

BUT a pay rise would be great, this is a really good opportunity and great company to have on my CV. Although I would obviously have to factor in commuting costs.

any advice would be much appreciated.

Not a chance, OP, unless you're desperate for the money.

I know some Amazon-ers who are already looking to jump ship because of the changes. Great way to lose their best people.

I wouldn't, I've recently taken a role for £10k more, but including more travel and I regret it as I miss spending time with DC. Again they are older, teenagers, but in some ways I feel they need me more than when they were small.

It would also put me off the fact that they want everyone in full time because it suggests they don't trust their employees and won't be supportive on other work/life balance scenarios.

Firstly you haven't got the job yet so not sure why stressing over something not offered yet.
Pretty sure I know company, I work in a totally different industry btw.
They are notorious for their interview procedure/multiple stages and difficulty to get into, as well as headhunting top performers from other companies. That's how a relative ended up there.
There's more to life than work but
we don't normally progress or have no desire to, once in a cushy comfort zone,
I find.
If you get from current company into that company, even non hybrid, will it benefit you ( the whole package ) more in the long run ?

£10k is fuck all. Tax and NI takes it down to under 6. Travel will be around another 2k probably depending on where it is. Take out another 200 a month or 2k (conservative) for tights, coffees, exhausted train dinners. 2k (which is what you’re now netting) for an additional 6 hours (?) commute a week works out around 9 quid an hour. Fuck that

Cut your losses now and drop out. Especially if the company name begins with i.

It would be a hard no from me. I wouldn't do 6 rounds of interviews for all the tea in China! .... plus mandated 100% office attendance for £10k .... nope nope nope !

Hard agree. We did 2-3 rounds for six figure senior level roles, 6 rounds is just a waste of everyone’s time and money. Bad culture all around

Ha, it does actually seem like most of you are mirroring my own thoughts ;)

Out of interest what sort of increase would people would be fair? My commute costs for 5 days would be £2.5k

How much are the commuting costs now?

Agree with a PP that being around for teens is desirable

To be honest I don’t think there’s a ££ amount that would get me back in the office five days a week!

It’s not just the commute etc, a company introducing a sweeping worldwide policy like this is clearly indicating that they are not interested in employee wellbeing. Going on more expensive holidays wouldn’t make up for being unhappy at work.

I say this from a position of privilege - DH and I both have good jobs, and would be confident at being able to get a new one if made redundant etc. I’m sure things would look different if we were on the breadline.

About £900 a year

I know exactly which company you're talking about and I would say DON'T DO IT! DH works there and the culture is toxic like you wouldn't believe. The salary increase was significant but honestly I'm not sure it's been worth it. He knows multiple people who are off on long term sick leave due to stress, he's been faced with round after round of redundancies and benefits just keep being chipped away. They rank people constantly and if you aren't the top performer they set impossible targets to push you out.

This change in policy has nothing to do with productivity and everything to do with reducing head count without paying out redundancies. And tax cuts in US cities for using office spaces.

Honestly, I'd save yourself the trauma.

Well my answer focused on the sums but honestly if you can physically afford to do without it, I don’t think there is any amount of money that is worth the same as time to hang out with your kids and get a little bit of headspace for yourself in you day to day life. Deadlines, busy periods etc can be dealt with but as a base case, commuting 5 days a week and delivering in the kind of culture that tends to demand this (petty, sadistic, enough is never enough) is just not fair on them, as much as you.
working with LA is a nasty time difference. Is that part of the potential new job? Any company that expects you to do that while full time office based are evil shitheads. Your LA facing workday starts at 5pm and if that has to happen in the office - for literally no reason as it is by definition calls rather than face to face - they are evil and stupid.

I would want to have my commute costs covered at the bare minimum, plus some extra for time, especially if I was having to pay for extra childcare, or a cleaner or something. Plus a bit extra on top of all that, just so I didn't feel I was standing still.

I interviewed for a role this week, sys admin, pretty much the same as current role, (except hopefully without the micromanaging line manager,) which is 5 days a week in the office, rather than 1 day a week in the office, but a 40 minute walk rather than an hour's drive, and £10k more gross, not including far lower petrol costs, and more potential for bonuses, training and internal movement etc. That's the sort of step up you need to look at.

A walking commute is a great bonus. It’s an active positive not just an absence of expense, because it is really good for you and gives you time back rather than takes it away. That’s a definite goal for me

I think 5 days in the office, pre Covid, on the commutes that had become standard especially in the south east, which are brutal in terms of time, expense, and health impacts, was way out of whack in terms of reasonable expectations of a person. Trying to reset to something that was always unnecessary and sadistic is a management choice, a matter of ideology. Covid just showed you don’t need to, there are other ways of working. I think a lot of us kind of knew or suspected that

As a matter of interest what did the job description say? If it said hybrid working or wfh, I think it’s OK to raise this.

There's a lot of red flags. The 6 round interview process. The unnecessary move back to the office. It all shows they are not really about the wellbeing of their staff and don't value your time. They clearly think you'd be very lucky to work for them, not that they'd be lucky to have you. For £50-60k, not worth it imo.

Yes, this does sound more in line with what I'd want

Is it AWS?

In your shoes I would speak to the person coordinating the date for second stage and ask the question directly, if this role will require office 5 days a week in line with announcement. If yes then decline interview and be honest why.

Most tech firm requires certain roles in the office, not all.

No point going ahead if you don't want it.
Can't you ask existing employer for Payrise?

How long is the commute, and what is your time worth? Say you earn £23 an hour, and it's 8 hours a week to commute. That's equivalent to about £8.5k a year. Are you happy to be giving that much of your worth to the company rather than your children at this point in their lives?

Great way to think about it. Thank you

Just to add, I fully understand that some people need or want to make the choice to choose the income, but if you can afford not to then I think it's always good to fully consider the pros and cons.