work-from-home boom will lift productivity in the U.S. economy by 5%

[jsb]

My company is requiring us to be back in the office 100 percent. Many are asking for hybrid but the company said they are still studying that possibility. I've heard we've missed out on a few new hires because of this. And I can only imagine there might be a lot of exits in the coming months if a hybrid work schedule is not offered.

It's so stupid. Most companies have had 18 months to study the possibility of telework. If there are problems with certain people not doing enough when they telework, that's an employee problem not a telework problem. Companies can easily solve that by tying the right to telework to employee performance.

At the same time, sometimes employees are real ******** about telework too. Be available and answer emails quickly. Don't run errands every day from 10-12, saying you'll make up the time. And if you have connection problems on a particular day, go into the office. I have an annoying issue with my vpn going out for a second or two at times. 99% of the time that doesn't affect my work at all. But there have been 3 times in the last 18 months where I've had an important meeting that I needed to be connected through my computer rather than call in. I went into the office those days so I knew I wouldn't have an issue. Unfortunately I have some coworkers that wouldn't do that.

 

[Sousaclone]

It's so stupid. Most companies have had 18 months to study the possibility of telework. If there are problems with certain people not doing enough when they telework, that's an employee problem not a telework problem. Companies can easily solve that by tying the right to telework to employee performance.

At the same time, sometimes employees are real ******** about telework too. Be available and answer emails quickly. Don't run errands every day from 10-12, saying you'll make up the time. And if you have connection problems on a particular day, go into the office. I have an annoying issue with my vpn going out for a second or two at times. 99% of the time that doesn't affect my work at all. But there have been 3 times in the last 18 months where I've had an important meeting that I needed to be connected through my computer rather than call in. I went into the office those days so I knew I wouldn't have an issue. Unfortunately I have some coworkers that wouldn't do that.

If anything derails it, it's going to be stuff like that (ie 10% of people ruin it for the other 90%). Yes, you do have some increased flexibility at home, but it doesn't mean you get to go to the gym everyday from 9:30 AM-11:30AM during the workday when people are trying to get a hold of you or need responses to items.

I gave one of my Field Engineers endless amounts of grief when he was "working" from home because on a whim we jokingly checked to see if he was playing XBox at like 10:30 AM and he actually was.

 

[BryceC]

If anything derails it, it's going to be stuff like that (ie 10% of people ruin it for the other 90%). Yes, you do have some increased flexibility at home, but it doesn't mean you get to go to the gym everyday from 9:30 AM-11:30AM during the workday when people are trying to get a hold of you or need responses to items.

I gave one of my Field Engineers endless amounts of grief when he was "working" from home because on a whim we jokingly checked to see if he was playing XBox at like 10:30 AM and he actually was.

I agree that people will take advantage of it. But if people want to screw around they can easily do it in the office too. Smoke breaks, 45 minute walks, endless lunches, hanging in the break room to endlessly chat, dominating meetings with meandering talk, etc. We all know these people.

 

[isufbcurt]

I know a big company in WDM that is trying to hire a bunch of people but in 4 weeks haven't received a single resume. Mainly because they are anti-work from home. These companies need to realize that they need people more than people need them (because there are now many options out there) and adjust their ways.

 

[inCyteful]

I find the entire topic fascinating. You can't paint this with a broad brush.

For 2-3 years before COVID, I was only in the office once/quarter and I am only an hour from my office. I was at client sites every other week globally. I can do my job without traveling but it is hard and we deliver less value. Very difficult to build rapport and gain your clients trust and confidence without being in the room with them. And our work is almost all in the cloud so it would seem, on the surface, to be the easiest to do remotely.

Companies are going to need to consider work arrangement strategically as they plan for their operations. Some may determine they need people in the office more than others. Same type of discussion as to whether you will require people to travel, work odd *****, work 4 x 10 hour days, etc. Employees will be able to determine what jobs have the attributes they are looking for in work. I think there is plenty of room for all manner of work location arrangements.

 

[brianhos]

My company is requiring us to be back in the office 100 percent. Many are asking for hybrid but the company said they are still studying that possibility. I've heard we've missed out on a few new hires because of this. And I can only imagine there might be a lot of exits in the coming months if a hybrid work schedule is not offered.

This is currently a huge thing in IT. I am getting calls from all over the place looking for specific skills and offering 100% remote forever.

That being said, I cannot wait to go back to the office. We were in for a few weeks maskless in July and it was wonderful. I miss the routine.

 

[Sousaclone]

This is currently a huge thing in IT. I am getting calls from all over the place looking for specific skills and offering 100% remote forever.

That being said, I cannot wait to go back to the office. We were in for a few weeks maskless in July and it was wonderful. I miss the routine.

Yeah. I'm one of the nutty people that likes being in the office as well. Makes it so much easier to clearly draw the line between work and home life, which is something I've worked hard on personally to establish. I've also found that I procrastinate way less when in the office (it's why even when I could work on things at home on a Saturday, I'd often just go in simply because it helped me focus).

I think a lot of places will settle in with some sort of hybrid system (I know my companies estimating office already sort of does that). Some places will be continual hold outs, and while they may lose some talent they'll also find some talent that doesn't have an issue with it.