Work telling us we wont get opportunity's if we don't show our faces?

[lovemenomore]

Hi all,

Wanted to know if IABU for being peed off/demoralised at this message from the owner of the company I work for.

Basically started the job in Jan & it has been 100% remote due to Covid/office closed etc. Since the restrictions have lifted I have been in and met colleagues but continued to wfh as do 75% of the company. There has been talk of us never having to go back in full time and people can choose what to do. Nothing formal has been announced. If we do want to go in we have had to book in. However the other day this was posted on our internal comms site;

"While booking is now no longer required, we are noting who turns up. Expect those that do to get the best opportunities and progression. It's obvious that being 'front and centre' means you are top of mind. We've always been a company that prioritises what you do and achieve over simple time served, this is just one aspect of that."

What are your thoughts? To me that is saying if you dont come in you will not be given the opportunities....

Lots of the staff arent local and live all over the country/world. A few of my colleagues are miffed but some friends have said all companies are like this?

If everyone who joined the company knew it was an office based role (those who joined during covid unless their contracts stipulated permanent home working surely knew the deal), then fair enough really, I am sure companies will make all sorts of different decisions going forward on how they want to run.

I am glad that places might be more receptive to flexible working requests going forward from those who would really benefit from it, but in real life the consensus from people I know is the opposite; that people can't wait to get back into the office. Also not sure how childcare is easier, bar if someone is isolating it means you can still work- surely people aren't still working with children at home that require supervision?

@Coffeepot72

Can we discuss hybrid please, rather than one extreme or the other?

Exactly. Trouble is a lot of the WHF advocates never want to go to the office. Especially if they've moved home because they wrongly thought that WFH was here forever! Then you have the other extreme where people literally can't work from home, due to disruption, lack of space, etc. Unfortunately, the subject IS polarised for many people. The people at each extreme will be the ones who make the most noise/fuss because it affects them the most.

As with everything, most people will be between the two extremes and most people will accept a situation of working for part of the time at home and working for part of the time in the office. They're the ones who've not made life-changing decisions to move hundreds of miles away and the ones who can work from home comfortably (i.e. spare room etc). We don't hear much from them because they're not really bothered one way or another - they'll just sway with the breeze - do more WFH when needed, attend the office more when needed, etc.

I'd say it's the "middling" group of people that employers will be more attracted to. Why would they appoint someone 300 miles away who'd whinge and moan about having to attend for a meeting, when they could employ someone to mostly WFH, but just 30 miles away who'd be more accommodating to attend the office when necessary?

Flexibility is the key for both employers and employees. And a hybrid/flexible attendance model works best for the majority.

The thing is, in my experience, you do really stagnate when you work from home. You don't really get any better so why would you get promoted?

That's not always true, though. I've gained a qualification while in lockdown. We have tons of online training available, and I've worked closely with colleagues to train them in knowledge specific to our department, to share knowledge and expand people's skills. I've asked colleagues to explain things, which sometimes has been just a quick two-liner, and other times meant a shared video call with shared screens for 20 minutes or so.

You can learn a lot from other people, and help them learn, even when you're not face-to-face, though it may be less easy in some roles than others.

I have to say, I don't know anyone who has moved miles away from their work or expects to never go in.

I would have thought the vast majority of people who have been told they can wfh, will actually be hybrid. Because I imagine there's caveats like certain meetings or coming in 'when requested'.

That may be just my understanding though. Because I don't know anyone who only wfh and never travels to a company office.

Also not sure how childcare is easier, bar if someone is isolating it means you can still work- surely people aren't still working with children at home that require supervision?

It's not that difficult.

Not having an hour+ commute at either end of drop off/pickup from childcare makes a pretty significant difference to my day, the stress associated with childcare, the length of time my kids spend at childcare, and my costs.

My husband and I will both be doing hybrid from October. Min 2 days a week each. One parent always at home means we can drop off at the school gate, instead of paying £15+ a day for breakfast club for 2 kids.

One parent always at home means we'll often be able to pick up from after school club straight after tea at 5.15 or so, rather than squeezing in at 6.10 before it closes. Gives my kids an extra hour at home.

Never having to rush home for the evening pickup means less stress when a meeting runs over, or a train is delayed, or any of the little irritants of life add up to a big problem and your kids are sitting on the safety seats next to the office or you're frantically ringing acquaintances to pick them up.

I'm missing office contact and am looking forward to going back to a hybrid model (which TBH will prob be more of a management challenge than everyone WFH) but the transformation on my stress levels and costs associated with childcare that will result from one parent always WFH is very significant, and I have turned down jobs that required me to be in the office more, even though the pay was significantly higher.

I would have thought the vast majority of people who have been told they can wfh, will actually be hybrid. Because I imagine there's caveats like certain meetings or coming in 'when requested'.

Yes. Even in the old days, people who were (are) on home-based contracts still came to the offices once in a while. In fact, if you didn't come in within 3 months, your pass got blocked, so most people came in once a quarter to avoid the hassle of having to see security to get it unlocked. (This isn't currently the case; my pass worked fine last week, when I used it for the first time in 16 months, but I suspect it will come back in next year when thinks have settled into new routines.)

I think people need to move on from wfh now. Really. I can't believe how many people still are!

So you take an office job, then moan you have to go to the office occasionally?

They are just showing their hand and making it obvious they are incapable of measuring performance if it isn't conducted right under their nostrils. Leadership incompetence.

What a shame.

I would have had to quit my job 18 months ago due to disability, but thanks to lockdown I've delivered two of the best projects of my career and never set foot in the office.

A couple of newer members of my team... never met them in person. No idea how tall they are... or if they cook smelly shit in the break out area..... but I do know the quality of their work... and we work on the basis of trust. Amazing how trustworthy MOST people are....

I am astounded that employers are still going out with this narrative.

I admire them for being up front. It is obvious that is happening many places (certainly where I work) but at least you are being told that up front. Many where I am feel the choice to stay home is worth what they will miss out on. However, I anticipate that by the end of the calendar year everyone where I am will be told to show up or stay home permanently.

It's fair.

Just go to work like a normal person.

Unless your company has a legal entity in another country, those that are working outside the country are actually going to land your company in massive amounts of issues from a compliance perspective (tax and immigration)...

You shouldn't get noticed through your physical presence but rather the impact of your work, so whether you're doing that from home (in the company's jurisdiction) or from the office it shouldn't matter. Seems discriminatory to me...

If your employer can make provision to WFH, then amazing. If they want you back then I can understand it sucks but I'm fed up of hearing about it like it's a god-given right. I keep hearing phrases like ‘unfair, disgusting’ to describe requests for employees to go back in. Not all WFH employees are more.productive, customer service for some of us is and continues to be shocking. It's not all amazing.

Well said @eeyore228

I agree with them (to an extent). There are a whole bunch at our place ‘too scared and anxious’ to return to the office. These ‘terrified’ colleagues are not however shitting themselves with fear at the pub, flight to Lanzarote, the Cinema and the beach. A lot of people are shirking returning to the office so they can watch box sets of Madmen as they do as little as possible, don’t put cameras on during teams calls, don’t answer calls and generally opt out of doing anything more than they can get away with.

That is a shame and such a backwards way of thinking. I believe that remote working is the way of the future and work with some companies who are thinking like that, as well as with employees who are not willing to sacrifice commuting etc for no good reason. You can be super productive in remote settings and best of all, still keep a nice life/work balance. Many hesitant companies are making a slow move while some are holding on to the past for the sake of tradition but it is a shame. I write a blog on life coaching and wellbeing and discuss this a lot and have been having really lovely conversations with managers who are open to change. Maybe having a honest conversation with your manager if there's that openness?

I kind of thought that, the Pandemic would show company's that working from home is all bad and that a lot would go back to a hybrid of working from home and office based. Like 3 days in the office 2 at home. But it seems, they just want to get back to normal. Which might not help parents with kids. It's good they have told people, so if you want a premonition, then you will have to go into the office.

@threatmatrix

Just go to work like a normal person.

People who started wfh due to the pandemic have been going to work. They just haven't been going to one particular building.

@eeyore228

If your employer can make provision to WFH, then amazing. If they want you back then I can understand it sucks but I'm fed up of hearing about it like it's a god-given right. I keep hearing phrases like ‘unfair, disgusting’ to describe requests for employees to go back in. Not all WFH employees are more.productive, customer service for some of us is and continues to be shocking. It's not all amazing.

I've been WFH since March 2020. Nobody has gone back into the office on a regular basis since then. I hate permanent WFH, but I'm definitely in a minority among my colleagues.

My neighbours work in customer service. They're also working from home. They smoke weed all day everyday. It might explain why customer service is so bad in some quarters these days.

There is a difference between working from home and shirking from home and companies should be able to tell who the workers are! There are lots a reasons society might want to embrace it - fewer car journeys, better quality of life, more opportunities for working parents or those with caring responsibilities who are often trying to juggle everything and could do with less travelling time. More opportunities for those with disabilities. Less race discrimination.

Employees have a choice of where to work of course - so if their company is very inflexible then talented staff might be lured away to a more attractive package in terms of work/life balance.

I’ve commuted and worked impossible hours with kids and in the end it was a toxic combination. I was partly working from home before Covid anyway and had even sacrificed pay to do that.

The traditional workplace - 9-5 which becomes 9-7.30 or later - suits men very well. Traditional men who leave all the home stuff to their wives. That’s why those men get to the top. Not so great for the mums who usually need to rush away for pickups from childcare or even just to see their child! If we want a more diverse workforce - because actually it’s good for companies and brings a range of viewpoints and talents - then WFH (at least hybrid) is the way to go. Work changes. We don’t work in Victorian cotton mills because industry evolved and safety laws came in. Time for some more evolving.

This is my field - I advice clients on workplace strategy and this stance goes against everything we advise. If I were you I would vote with my feet and leave for a company that aligns with your ethos - there are lots of them. Good luck!

You need to have a presence and be seen and get noticed if you want to get the best opportunities. That’s how it’s always been and I doubt it’s going to change now.

I haven’t read the full thread but I’m not sure that’s legal, you know. They force everyone back in. That’s fine. But if they’re affording flexibility, then they have to ensure that office based staff and home based staff receive the same training, opportunities and perks. I very recently updated my business’s remote working policy and came across this. I’d get it checked out if you’re feeling super aggrieved. Regardless, it’s really cowardly of your employers. If they want everyone back in, fine - grow some balls and set a date. It’s really shitty and pass agg to leave that memo.

There is a difference between working from home and shirking from home and companies should be able to tell who the workers are!

I agree. Everyone in my team works hard whether at home or in the office. I am glad that my company are being flexible. I get to keep all my equipment at home, and have a desk at work. It means that in winter I can still work if I am snowed in.

I am also lucky that my department have a fantastic team spirit and we all support each other, and can have a laugh. It helps that several of us have worked with each other (in the office before the pandemic) for some time and have built up friendships. This means that new people who have joined our team are made extremely welcome and feel supported. We are not at all cliquey or competitive against each other.

There are too many polarised views on this thread, and it is clear that there are an awful lot of posters who resent being called back to the office.