#inoffice

It was to go RTO full time.
You cannot go half a decade and blow it up like that.
It’s a cauldron of bad mojo and stupidity sprinkled with greed.
Bad corporate decision made my dei and fools.

A friend in GD was fired today for not going into the office. No severance package, realy firing. Has this happened in any other group? Was this just GD or did it occur in other BUs/CFs?

Now that we’re all back in the office four days a week, we’ve started noticing something interesting: there are a whole lot of headphones out there.

And listen, I get it. Sometimes you need to focus. Sometimes Teams is lighting up like a Christmas tree, your inbox is acting like it has a personal grudge, and you just need to put your head down and get through it. We are not trying to outlaw concentration, peace, or the occasional musical escape from reality.

But if everybody has headphones on all day, we may have accidentally recreated remote work, except now we added fluorescent lights, badge access, and a commute.

The goal of being in the office together is to make it easier to collaborate. That means quick questions, hallway conversations, shared problem-solving, and those little “hold on, I know who can help with that” moments that save everyone from three meetings and a mystery spreadsheet.

So in the spirit of encouraging more cross-team collaboration, USB headphones issued for Teams calls will need to be returned at the front desk. Going forward, Teams calls taken in the office will be expected to use speakerphone whenever possible. This helps keep conversations open, accessible, and aligned with the collaborative environment we are trying to build.

We want to make sure we’re using our in-office time to actually connect with the folks around us, not just sit near each other while everyone broadcasts “do not disturb” from the ears up.

So let’s keep an ear open, say hello to the people around us, and make the office feel a little less like a silent library and a little more like a team.

Does anyone know whether badge swipes are actually being tracked and if they are to what extent?

I’m not trying to call anyone out, and I certainly won’t be naming names, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to justify coming into the office five days a week when the building feels emptier by the day.

The communication around RTO has been incredibly vague. Other than the dry a$$ generic email that went out in January, there hasn’t been much clarity on expectations, enforcement, or how compliance is being measured.

If badge swipes aren’t being tracked, what exactly is the point of complying and coming in?

I'm looking forward to reading all about "return to office" four days a week tomorrow in this forum.

Heard there are changes coming to WPE . What is it, 4 days a week or non consecutive days in the office?

That seemed to be the only qualification for people who were promoted. Not really anything other than their manager liked them and they were in the office.

Does the power structure in this company understand that forcing people into the office on Thursday next week after having Memorial Day off feels like a punishment for having the audacity to acknowledge a federal holiday?

I know they don't care but really? Waste our money and time and the company's utility bills because we've just GOT to have 3 days in the office?

Zero benefit, only inconvenience and annoyance. I suggest everyone just chit chat all day and use the bathrooms as often as possible.

Are there any changes to 5 days?

“All managers are mandated to be in the office logged into the LAN 11 hours per day or they will be terminated.”

We can’t make this place rules up!

At AT&T, I’ve come to understand that the true path to long-term success isn’t just about individual performance—it’s about alignment, proximity, and shared commitment to the mission. For many of us who have advanced in this company, moving closer to the operational and strategic center in Dallas has been a turning point in our careers.

I made personal sacrifices to climb the ladder of success—leaving behind familiarity, adjusting to new routines, and prioritizing the demands of the role over comfort. Those decisions weren’t easy, but they created real opportunities for growth, visibility, and collaboration that simply aren’t as accessible from a distance.

Dallas represents more than just a location; it represents focus, teamwork, and accountability. Being physically closer to leadership and cross-functional teams strengthens communication, accelerates decision-making, and reinforces the shared obligation we all carry to deliver for customers and for each other.

From a business perspective, this alignment matters. When teams operate with tighter coordination and fewer barriers, execution improves. That kind of operational efficiency and cohesion is ultimately good for performance—and by extension, supportive of long-term shareholder value and stock strength.

In that sense, moving to Dallas isn’t just a personal career decision. It’s a commitment to the broader team, to the company’s direction, and to building a stronger, more unified organization.

Fidelity Investments will require many employees to return to the office five days a week. This new policy begins in September for staff at its Boston headquarters and other locations. Managers at the vice president level and above are also included across all company sites. Previously, most employees worked two weeks in the office out of every four. The company believes physical presence fosters connection, mentorship, and learning.

Boston, Massachusetts

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/30/newsletters/fidelity-return-to-office-five-days-boston/

Is there any truth to the rumor that people who received inconsistent performance rating last year due to not following in-office adherence will be laid off? I am on a very small team and I believe I am the only one on my team who got an IP so I’m freaking out. My role is a grade level 3 phone role.

Lack of enough presence in office in Q1 may also be on chopping block next week

Rumors are rampant on why the changes to number/hours in office have not been communicated. I’ve heard they want to wait until after the survey, or I’ve heard it’s because there’s some employment/legal issues that need to be addressed first. I’ve also heard it’s on pause until they have more data and what / who needs to be addressed (like coffee badgers) But does anyone have reliable information?

Has anyone been flagged for not coming enough?

Only working 2 days this week due to pto. I will be 20 minutes short of the in office expectations. I know days average out over time but if I worked more than 8 hours last week, will that cover me?

Many of us have contracts with no office requirement and I think if they force us in it could be a miscalculation in some states especially in MA.

#LifeAtATT

“5 DAYS. ONE TEAM. MORE SOON.” WTF... seriously? It’s being framed like some kind of exciting announcement, when for many of us even 3 days in the office already feels excessive and outdated.

If this really means pushing to 5 days, it’s not going to strengthen the team. It’s going to do the opposite. The best people will quietly start looking elsewhere, and those who stay? Don’t expect engagement or extra effort. You’ll get the bare minimum, because that’s what this kind of decision signals back to employees.

And honestly, if last year’s VOE survey results were already bad, just wait for this year’s after this kind of policy. It’s hard to imagine them improving under these circumstances.

Personally, I’m already planning my coping strategy: books on my phone and tuning out as much as possible. Though that might be difficult with coworkers who treat zoom calls like they’re shouting across a stadium instead of speaking at a normal volume.

It’s frustrating to see something that impacts people’s daily lives so heavily being communicated with vague slogans and zero transparency.

By this time next year, should we expect it to move to 5? Anyone jumping ship?

Cats out of the bag boys and girls. If you’re in certain sites you’re going back 100% from September.

Work at a different bank and curious how your RTO5 (return to office 5 days a week) is going? Are people doing it? Coming in late/leaving early? Any modifications or messages from sr. Execs? Thanks for any info.

Just please lets all look out for each other, and do what we are told. It's awful but working in an office beats getting fired for non-compliance and then not having one to work in at all...

After all, it's what we all make of it.

Someone posted on fishbowl that full return to office in 2027. Does that mean remote workers would have to relocate to keep jobs? Or do you think just those hybrid will be required 5 days a week.

Gross. Supply chain/procurement.

I hear that KTD managers were told that their local employees need to be in the office a certain percentage of the time. And if the employees don’t hit that that quota the manager must explain why.

This leads me to ask, what is the percent that will trigger the need to report on an employee? And what are the consequences for the employee? Because up to now there has been 0 enforcement of this policy.

I started in 2010 under the Rust years. The golden years of State Farm. Ed treated every employee like family. I worked in the old Mid America Zone and boy were we treated right. I had coworkers in the Murfreesboro and Newark offices who loved coming in. I knew people in Kalamazoo and Winter Haven who were working when Ed Sr still ran the place.

Fast forward to Tipsord. We knew he was going to change things, but he didn’t hide it. He knew what he wanted and despite the old culture pushing back and keeping him in check - after COVID he at least had some respect for us (although more likely he knew he was retiring soon and didn’t care anymore).

Now we have Farney. He’s been with the company for decades. Several soon to be retirees thought (as I did) that he’d bring back the golden era (or at least something akin to it). Boy were we all wrong. Everything that comes out of this man’s mouth is ‘we do it because our competitors do’. What happened to the State Farm that led this industry? What happened to the State Farm that treated customers like neighbors because executives treated employees like family?

It’s a sad day when people in the HUBs have to go in office more when 40% of the workforce gets to work from home full time. This company isn’t State Farm anymore and honestly I hope this year shows the board that the current C suite is not equipped to be leaders.

Do our WFIP staff have to be in the office 3-4 days per week for 8 hours a day too? I realized I haven't heard a word about it from anyone, ever, so am curious how evenly the rules are being applied. Probably another best kept secret to alienate the US employees hat Charlie hates so much

With or without set daily schedules?

Every time I see stories about “coffee badging,” it’s hard not to feel frustrated. Some people are effectively gaming the system and collecting paychecks, while others are putting in real effort and trying to make a meaningful contribution.

FIRE THEM ALL!

A handful of Grade 8 AND above confirmed big changes come September for Connect Weeks. Apparently they will be pushing for near 100% in office time and it will be up to each organization, site and lower management’s problem to figure it out. Upper management will send the decree, wipe their hands of it and hold low level associates feet to the fire. No excuses. Gloves off. They’re not happy the forecasting for senior associates quitting didn’t go as planned and now? The rest of us must pay. Thoughts?

How is this legal? So 11 days was good, but now they say it’s no good because new rule is 14 to 15 days, depending on the month. Applies retroactively since January since expectations was to be in office…but for 15 days????

It says, "NOTICE: In‑Office Adherence data quality has been corrected for most team members; however, VDI and some Mac users may still experience incomplete or inconsistent data. This notice will be removed once the remaining issues are fully resolved."

Workday currently has a message that reads, "NOTICE: We are actively addressing an issue affecting the accuracy of In Office Adherence data. As a result, a data update is currently in progress. This message will be cleared once corrective actions are complete and validated."

Newish employee. Prompted to log in ivanti while in office. I just work off my laptop not the monitors. Report is showing me as in office 0 days. Why is this? Stressed out over here!!

Per the comms sent to all employees from the CHRO, in-office time is NOW being tracked and measured. So all the rumors can be put to bed because designated hybrid employees are being tracked for RTO indeed.

I come into an empty office 10-12 days a month. Why are my days missing? How is this goal bring tracked? Are we going to start tracking all of the “extra hours” I put in at home after being on calls all day.

The wait time for HR is 70 minutes. I am not giving up on this. Someone should have validated this data before publishing.