[retiredguy123]

For the last 15 years of my career, I was allowed to work at home. I considered it a very significant benefit, and I was more effective and more efficient than most workers who worked in the office. Whenever someone called me, I answered the call on the first ring and I was available 24/7 to do almost anything. They would never get a voicemail that I was "away from my desk". If they needed me in the office, I could be there within 30 minutes.

I am confused by the recent news reports that some employees are refusing to come into the office to work. Really? If I was an employer, and I wanted my employees to work in the office, I would demand it, or they would be fired immediately. What is going on? I don't get it. Can someone please explain to me how an employee can tell their employer that they refuse to come into the office?

[MrChip72]

My team went fully remote early on in COVID (March 2021). I work on a small team supporting a particular line of business for the bank. 99% of the time we're all doing work on the computer or communicating with other people on other teams that don't even work in the same building. Even during COVID we maintained the same workload and deadlines as we did while working in the office. The tools available now to get the job done while not in the office are incredible now versus what was available even 10 years ago. A co-worker can share a document online and we can both live edit it at the same time with ease. Apps like Zoom often make meetings run more smoother than in person to the extent that even at in person meetings half the people are logged into Zoom to see the screen sharing more clearly.

About a year ago they asked us to return to the office 2 days a week with around 6 weeks notice. That was fine, but some people rightfully questioned "what's the point?". I now go into the office and half the time I'm at a desk doing Zoom meetings and most days have no real interaction with people on my time unless I bump into them in the coffee line downstairs.

I can understand the resentment on both sides. Sure the employer can threaten to fire people but skilled people in certain roles often aren't easy to replace, and replacing people has a huge cost of time and money. My job which is in high demand worldwide didn't even exist 20 years ago. Besides, firing people over wanting to make their half empty office look full isn't very smart for business when the bottom line ($$$) might suffer.

Short answer is that times have changed.

[Stu from NYC]

Years ago was purchasing manager for firm making office furniture.

During the course of a typical day had impromptu fast meetings with quite a few people. Would have been difficult to do this if many of us worked remotely.

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Years ago was purchasing manager for firm making office furniture.

During the course of a typical day had impromptu fast meetings with quite a few people. Would have been difficult to do this if many of us worked remotely.

We actually do this quite regularly where some of the team is remote and some are in the office. Our team group chat has a "huddle" feature for impromptu meetings like that where it essentially creates a meeting at the click of a button and notifies everyone on the team. This is accessible by computer or smartphone.

Smartphones have really changed how people work now. When I was working in an office in the 90's I would have to say that communication was definitely not as good as it is now. If someone was gone from their desk for any period of time, you had no way of contacting them even for a quick question.

[Boomer]

Well. . .working from home is beginning to wreak havoc on office buildings where I come from. All the “space available” signs are a bit unnerving. A few are beginning to convert to condos and apartments, but probably not fast enough. Soon the maintenance will go…….

I remember the days when if you owned office or retail commercial property, you were well set.

Now, here we are. . .never more connected, yet never more disconnected.

Boomer

[MrFlorida]

Remember, if you can work from home, that home can be in India as well, be careful what you wish for...

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

We actually do this quite regularly where some of the team is remote and some are in the office. Our team group chat has a "huddle" feature for impromptu meetings like that where it essentially creates a meeting at the click of a button and notifies everyone on the team. This is accessible by computer or smartphone.

Smartphones have really changed how people work now. When I was working in an office in the 90's I would have to say that communication was definitely not as good as it is now. If someone was gone from their desk for any period of time, you had no way of contacting them even for a quick question.

My comment goes back just over 30 years ago when phones were not that smart.

[JMintzer]

My son in law is dying to get back in the office full time. He is much more productive when he can work with "his team" face to face, rather than playing telephone tag or sending countless emails...

But his company primarily still has a remote work policy...

My daughter (his wife) is back in the office 3 days a week, which has pros and cons...

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

My son in law is dying to get back in the office full time. He is much more productive when he can work with "his team" face to face, rather than playing telephone tag or sending countless emails...

But his company primarily still has a remote work policy...

My daughter (his wife) is back in the office 3 days a week, which has pros and cons...

Daughter goes in once a week, sil never, son and dil never go in.

The world has changed, not sure if this stay at home thing is good or bad but for me would rather work around others

[kp11364]

My department (IT) volunteered to go "full virtual" during the pandemic. It's stayed that way. Some people go in once a week (catch up with friends, have lunch together, etc) - but I'm far more productive now - I always had more teleconferences than "real" meetings, so no big difference for me. As far as working from home (from India) - while there may be equal technical knowledge, the institutional knowledge isn't there - luckily for me, IT turnover is *wayyyyyy* lower than other areas of the business, so it's up to us to understand how the business actually runs.

With that said, I really can't wait for the day I don't have to do business analysis and code any more! (Less than five years left!)

[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

My comment goes back just over 30 years ago when phones were not that smart.

I've worked through the early 90's until now. The first 15 of that pre-dated smart phones. The whole office work life has changed more than anyone probably ever imagined since the early 90's. I remember when I started out fresh out of school and some of the older guys were complaining about the fairly "new" rule that they couldn't smoke in the office or at their desks anymore.

[Two Bills]

I very seldom go to see my doctor now, unless there is a physical examination required.
Since Covid, all business is conducted by phone.
Easier for them, and very convenient for my wife and I.
We have no problems with it at all.
Same with banking etc.
Very seldom ever see inside of buildings, or actually see a person, all done online.
Might start to worry a bit, if and when surgeons start working from home!

[mikeycereal]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

I very seldom go to see my doctor now, unless there is a physical examination required.
Since Covid, all business is conducted by phone.
Easier for them, and very convenient for my wife and I.
We have no problems with it at all.
Same with banking etc.
Very seldom ever see inside of buildings, or actually see a person, all done online.
Might start to worry a bit, if and when surgeons start working from home!

Well as you may know they have robots doing surgery now with docs supervising but that could one day mean some may work from home. There may be at least one to stand there in case of emergency though but they may even fix that situation remotely too. Hey the robot did great for me while I was asleep as I far as was told. Hic! Hic! What's that noise?

[MidWestIA]

It started with I had to call into a meeting in India at 6am so hey I'm working from home then I'd wander into work after awhile still "working". My dept got really liberal didn't care when or where I worked just do your 8 hours. I tried just work from home you know what it was lonely and a little boring. I got so I went in each day for at least a few hours.

[rsmurano]

If you are in demand, you have flexibility to negotiate with your employer. If you are not in demand, then you follow what your employer asks of you or you quit.

The last 30+ years of my IT career I was in demand. When I was in the office, I would leave a couple times a week at 2-3 to play golf, or I’d get in around 9 because of waterskiing. The last 10+ years, I worked at home which was over 1000 miles from my boss and my coworkers were all over the world. I waterskied every day during my 2.5 hour lunch. I also played some tennis/pickleball in the mornings until 9.

Not a big deal during all those years. All my bosses knew work time would balance out in the long run. I would have midnight calls with clients/coworkers in Europe, china, and India. Or I’d have to get prepared to give a talk at a conference overseas which might have required long hours for a few weeks. What mattered most was my job output, not the amount of hours at a desk.

Some people can’t be productive working at home. I eventually had to let an employee go when they abused the privilege of working home 1 day a week 20 years ago. (Taking away the work at home privilege started a long trail of bad habits).
Also, some companies just want to micro manage their employees and the only way they can do that is to have them at their desk in the office.