That ship has sailed

[Grooveisintheheartbaby]

My company want us back to the office 5 days a week. As far as I and colleagues are concerned that ship has sailed and we will not be coming back we will leave. AIBU to think that businesses need to accept that things changed in covid forever and they can't reverse it without massive disrest and unhappiness?

People will vote with their feet …

Are you under the impression that they give a shit about disrest and unhappiness? They won't mind if you all leave...

Leave then, but I bet half the people that say they’re going to leave won’t as there aren’t that many (esp WFH) jobs out there.

Your choice! I’m lucky in that we can work hybrid - most of team prefer to work in our offices at least 50% of the time
I don’t enjoy WFH so do it rarely

If your employer wants you back I think you need to go back or, indeed, find another job.

For a lot of companies that's a feature not a bug. They are planning on RTO being a costfree way to reduce headcount.

It's shortsighted at best, IMO, because your best talent have the most options and will go first. But that's how many employers are playing it.

My last place wanted us back 4 days, I found another job where I’m only in 1. Sod being in the office. I get more done at home, and am happy to put in extra hours because I’m not wasting time commuting.

My company decided that everyone needed to come into the office 50% of the time. Then they discovered that head-hunters were ringing with 'I hear your company is doing thus, company x has no working from the office requirements '. And they quickly changed their mind.

Many will not leave, OP you might not. Unfortunately weak managers instead of dealing with under performers (or even attempting to) take the catch all approach.

Sadly, none of us are irreplaceable. Unless you work in something very niche where they desperately need your special skills that no one else could possibly replicate then you have no real choice.

If they want staff back in the office you can by all means tell them you are leaving. They will probably make polite noises of regret whilst advertising your job.

They may want to get rid of people anyway

People will talk of leaving but many will stay. It can take a while to find a suitable new job also. Were you fully office-based before, or have you all joined in the hybrid period?

I do find it odd that companies are doing this now. What’s changed in the last couple of years? Plenty returned to the office once lockdowns were over and others were fine with wfh or hybrid. So why change things now?

It can be a good way for companies looking to downsize not to have to pay redundancy.

What is "disrest"?

Leave without another similar paid job to go to, don't see people doing that!

Bye, happy job hunting👋

In my experience, it is to do with lower productivity. Pre-covid, I was a massive advocate of flexible / hybrid working. Post covid though, productivity went through the floor and never really returned.

I realise that it isn't everyone, and that many are diligent, however the ones who are not used to be in the minority and easily weeded out. Now they are in the majority, so it is easier to just get everyone back into the office.

Fortunately, it is an employer's market at the moment, and for every person who leaves, there are a hundred applicants to replace them. Often it is possible to improve on the person who left in fact.

YABU to be surprised by this but this could potentially backfire if too many people leave seeking more flexible employment.

The problem is that lots of people take the p*ss when working from home, often doing childcare etc... when they should be working.

I think a compromise is helpful though as WFH sometimes is so beneficial to MH!

It depends entirely on what your job is…

There's a reason why they want people back in the office so they can see what they are doing all day, and keep an eye on their productivity and efficiency.

I can't imagine what that reason could be though.

I'm guessing unrest.

I'd be very surprised if everyone left.

Everytime I see threads like these, there are loads of people saying they are more productive at home. However, productivity levels in much of the country are in the toilet so this can’t be true for most people.

Unfortunately many people are taking the piss working from home. We’ve all seen the ones who seem to be constantly orange on Teams.

My organisation is actively clamping down on people being in 40% because a sizable percentage can’t even be trusted to do that. I think if high non compliance persists, they will start forcing a 3 day in office rule. I’m fine with this as it’s still better than having to be in 5 days a week like before, but it’s ridiculous that many staff can’t be trusted to do their jobs properly at home.