Heard through multiple channels. Managers with affected people on their teams are getting this email.
It wouldn't shock me if there were a larger RTO push.
When employee morale is already low, how do we improve it? Force employees to go in office four days a week! Hooray!
@186 I think you're missing the point. The goal is layoffs because that's the only thing they know how to do and anything else erodes the business. NOTHING else that keeps us a going-concern will materially improve IOI.
Looking at other developed countries, there are two major ways to materially cut cost out of the system in the USA:
This also means we don't need Optum selling to 1,000 Payers. You don't need 1,000 Payers with their own version of Optum and trying to commercialize. You have one single payer to buy/use a single set of "Optum" products many of which would be unnecessary anyway. Obviously no-go for UHG
Bonus #3 make for-profit/publicly traded companies in the Provider space illegal though "non-profit" execs are well paid.
We have a guy who built this company and is waaaaaaay over exposed to an asset that shouldn't exist. The fact his financial planner doesn't diversify is a testament to pigheaded hubris. It's like crypto. So of course, there's a lot of buzz about AI and consumer apps and VBC and [pretend] incremental steps like RFK prior-auth.
It seems very disconnected from the reality of the workers, particularly parents. Its very antiwomen as the burden of care falls majority on them. Summer time kids are home, and often just need to be "checked" on a few times during the day or shared lunch time. They might need a ride somewhere too. Those parents just work later or earlier. The 1% raise likely doesn't allow them to "hire in help". In person work is a thing of the past, today's work culture requires the ability to work across continents. Physically being present to be productive or collaborative is an antiquated concept. If that is the "way you work better" then you probably belong in some other job, like service industry.
Gummy in the parking lot before you head up to your cell. Gummy on bathroom break at lunchtime. Get home and you don't remember the day.
@df
You are right, the collaboration is overweighted in this decision. The nature of a company this size and offshoring means there will be very little benefit to collaboration by RTO. If I was Czar the RTO policy would be 2 day/week minimum and a flex schedule where everyone is available every week as needed, your welcome!
@dn I fondly remember my latest open office location before COVID: a huge south-facing window (without any shades) on one side, with a Starbucks on the other. We heard the coffee frothing machine at least 50 times a day ... and for much of the day were baked and blinded by the sun. At least nowadays it's officially called the "agile office."
@OP Confirmed. This impacts employees designated as Hybrid for Twin Cities and Wash DC areas.
As expected, the announcement included a reminder of the many benefits of working in-person ... which only really applies to those who have local coworkers.
I -HATED- the open offices. The idea that someone was looking at my screen and critiquing my methodology for getting sh-t done was always creeping into the back of my mind. Felt like a perpetual whiteboarding interview. And it distracted the he-l out of me. And that's saying nothing of how loud people were and there was always some pair of suits who would do water cooler talk their entire god damn 'shift.' I know they do it to micro-manage you, because there's too many incompetent middle managers can't understand anyone's job enough to know if they're being productive any other way.
But holy he-l, way to lose any productivity we gained from WFH.
@ah Yes, there is a disconnect between the employee experience (formerly vital signs) survey and actual day-to-day practices. The questions/statements suggest that leadership cares about related issues, but this is another good example.
The Open Office was rolled out with the lofty promise that it would create "instant collaboration." I questioned that premise. The dry erase boards and little huddle rooms were kind of cool, but overall the office was noisier, more chaotic and less productive.
Now the same folks who promised "instant collaboration" more than a decade ago will try to justify RTO mandates on the basis of productivity and team building. But everyone I work with is either offshore or in other states. So same sh*t, different decade.
Color me skeptical but I think RTO mandates are being used to create dissatisfaction that will lead to workforce reductions while avoiding the expense of buyouts.
Will other locations be included in the RTO policy? Most offices are down to not even one floor…
If you’re not in 4x a week, you won’t be able to get a 5 (probably my 4 too).. telecommuters status will change in the fall to in office if you’re within 25 miles of an office. They’re going to track badges in and badges out to ensure you’re there all day.
They just want my red stapler
Damn I'm about to lose a lot of productivity because I can't use my pro Chat Jippity subscription on my work laptop and like 20% of external documentation sites are blocked for no apparent reason. RIP
@aj RTO = Return to Office (i.e. no longer work from home)
what the he-l is RTO stop talking in corporate jargon
Its funny, they do stupid sh-t like this after the survey (not like they pay attention to the survey comments)
Can confirm. If you are hybrid - back to the prison cell for you!
I was told people hired as telecommuters are not impacted as of now.
Wow this is crazy
If you start going to the DC office, keep in mind PwC and Google are in the same building. Likely a similar level of stress but slightly less disfunction and far better pay. Perhaps a good chance to network. Sorry to the Minnesota folks way out in the suburban campuses that may not have that perk.
If I'm forced to go to an office you can bet that once I leave the laptop stays closed and doesn't open back up til' I'm in the office again. No more late nights keeping the lights on, no more free overtime for this company. No more fixing sh-t or responding to id--tic false flag incidents on Christmas Eve. They want to treat employees and good teams like dirt, they get likewise in return.
Leadership wants to flood the company with incompetent offshore contractors and have us grovel for tablescraps? I'll take hour long sh--s in the restroom and still be more productive than ten of them.