Employers hell bent on working in the office full time

[NewDayNewLife25]

Anyone else currently job searching and noticed the same thing?

I'm utterly miserable in my current role which is unfortunate as I've been there for 4 years and use to love it, but a new manager has changed things. I've always worked from home.

Anyway, I've been applying for jobs, mainly remote/hybrid working but also a few office based roles. I always state in my cover letter what I'm looking for, and my address is on my CV too.

A few employers have contacted me, saying that I'm perfect for the role, have all the experience/skills that's required and that they think I would make a great addition to the team. But as soon as I've asked about the working set up, that's it, done. They won't entertain it and decline my application.

I just think it's a shame. I know that they probably have plenty of applications, but surely it's more important to hire the right person, with the right skills and experience. Not just because that person happens to live near the office. Half the time they can't even explain why they need the person in the office. Is it control?

I'm fed up already!

FFS. The location of the workplace is a condition of work, like salary range, PD opportunities, etc. Ahead of application, many potential applicants will ask what the salary range is so they know whether or not they will be wasting their time. Wanting to know how flexible the employer is about workplace location is no different.

Your assumptions about home workers are just ridiculous.

I think to be fair many employers have tried it and while the employees really like it, many employers felt there were more benefits to have employees in the office at least most of the time than letting them work from full time. I get that many people are disappointed with this but they are free to move to employers who feel differently.

I'm talking about the new to workforce education leavers who's social life is largely on line, and as parents we've told them the world is a scary place they can't walk home from school in etc.

You may have told yours that - mine were free to walk home from school!!

My three also all have had PT jobs while studying FT so they are well used to the concept of going out to work.

I don't say this to be harsh, but as I read that, you unfortunately did screen yourself out at that point. The HR manager was sifting. You highlighted a weakness in your application compared to others they may have had on their desk. Where I work, HR do a first screen, see if someone seems the right fit for the role profile and send on notes about candidates to the hiring manager. The hiring manager then decides who to interview. At the moment, in my company, I am not even allowed to interview anyone who has said they won't relocate/come to the office. So your CV would not even be given to me, even if you are brilliant.

But, if someone can get past HR to the hiring manager, they have the opportunity to sell themselves to the person they will be working for. As a result, my two most recent hires are both fully remote because they were the best candidates in the pool by far and I went into battle against company policy to get them. If they had disclosed to HR that they wanted to WFH, I would not have even seen their applications.

Unless all jobs in your field are identical, adapt your CV and covering letter to the company in question. Focus on your skill set and what you can offer them, not what you want them to offer you. Including in any initial conversation with HR.

As a tangent, when I joined my current company, the role was described as fully office based. I wasn't even meant to be interviewed because it was for internal hire only and I only heard about it via word of mouth. I sent my CV speculatively to the hiring manager although I was not actively job hunting. At interview, I asked about WFH (15 years ago, way before many people did) and because I was the best candidate, he happily said yes. Initially it was 1-2 days/week. About 12 years ago, it became fully home based, so it can be done, even in organisations that say no to start with.

Your assumptions about new to workforce education leavers and their parents are also ridiculous. Sweeping generalisations are a bad look no matter what the topic.

My god. OP, the WFH debate aside, your goady comments to @Munnygirl are just awful! What is wrong with you?!

Have you read the goading comments the op made to not just me but others? She accused me of saying something I didn’t not say so I called her out on it .

Thank you for seeing it and commenting on it

I used to do that. I have a chronic bowel condition.

In terms of being forced to work from home, no I am not typical. I'm an older worker (by definition, at least in NZ, 50+) so it is feasible there will be as many of us WFH as younger workers.
I think Jannier that you and I differ from each other. My starting point is that the norm is for workers to be professional and to meet their work obligations regardless of location. You posts indicate to me that your starting point is that people who WFH are skivers who take the p*.
As a general comment, not focused at you necessarily, I am so tired of the constant references to WFH workers taking time out to do the school run. So what? My organisation employees 500+ people, some in our head office, some formerly in the other city office that was closed (like me) and maybe 80 around the country who are FT WFH or hybrid. Let's say 60% have dependent kids. Managers have been told it is perfectly fine for them to do one or both school runs providing contracted hours are met. One mum colleague works WFH and does 9.30-2.30 then 4.00-7.00. A dad colleague works in the office, comes in later and leaves earlier to do school runs, but does not take a lunch break. Or if he does take time out for lunch, he can log on at night to make up the time. This flexibility is about being a good employer, valuing workers and treating them as professionals.
Having said that, I absolutely agree with others on here that WFH and childcare are not compatible. That really is taking advantage.

The fact you started a thread about them turning around and saying you're not suitable

Why apply for office based jobs when you're not going to work at the office? You're wasting peoples time

@NewDayNewLife25 gosh.... your replies in this thread alone show me you absolutely not a perfect candidate for working from home.

If you can get into a back and forth with a stranger, on a forum this easily I'd really start to reflect on whether you really are a perfect candidate for a role with any virtual communication!

I fully agree! Horrendous attitude!

I hadn't, but I have now!

And they are entitled to want that. He who pays the piper calls the tune

Just don't apply for those jobs

I agree. I worked for 49 years in offices and never once did I work in one where you weren't allowed to talk. I would think it very unusual indeed.

You're not alone in that, Onlyonekenobe, nor in noticing that the overall attitude may well be the key factor here

"I feel sorry for you" as a response to anything not agreed with is likely to become very obvious very fast to anyone with experience, but hopefully a good match will be found in the end

Edited to add, since it's been raised again, that "not being allowed to talk" in an office sounds a bit odd too, and I wonder if - rather than being an overall policy - this reflected an individual being asked to get on with the work rather than chattering

Depends on the office and who is in charge- worked in one office where there was 6 of there plus boss, one women was there donkey years and a weapon, you were not allowed to talk what so ever, unless it was for work even at that it was to be kept to 5 or 10 mins minimum, when doing my training the rest would whisper to me, she also sat by the window and as soon as she came in, in the morning she would open it, it would only be closed when raining and even at that sometimes she would open it a bit too. we had to sit there in the freezing cold. No matter who the boss was nothing was said to her, they were all afraid of her

My ex boss could talk the hind legs off a donkey.

Work shouldn't be treated as someone's social life.

Some people who work in offices do exactly that though

Agreed, and it seems to be used as an excuse to not wfh with boring regularity. A person's social life isn't their colleagues' responsibility.

There were no wfh before Covid, which was five years ago now. Office working is the norm.