Rumors that partial WFH will be a policy even after stay-at-home is lifted and we go back to the office.
Have u heard rumors on this ?
15 replies (most recent on top)
If sharing offices requires me to only come in two days a week, sign me up!
Yes but with the current configuration of Greenway 5, how are you going to save any space unless people are sharing offices. One person Monday and Tuesday and another on Wednesday and Thursday. Or tear down the walls and move to open concept. But tearing down the walls would cost money I doubt oxy wants to spend.
Think shared office space. Think cutting lease space by at least 1/2 in the 4 domestic large corporate offices ... and you have yourself a chunk of cost savings that you can’t get from this nonexistent M&A market right now.
While we don't commute by subway cars in Houston, the reduction of time in elevators and shuttle vans would be significant, along with a less crowded workspace.
I too have heard the rumors of the 2 day work from home even after the virus. Sounds like a great compromise to me. Best of both worlds. But I am not sure how it will save money on real estate costs for Oxy unless we switch to a dynamic seating environment where you sit in a spot for Mon-Tues and someone else sits in the same spot Tues-Thurs, or shared offices. Otherwise, Oxy still will have to pay for the same space they already are.
I agree. I’m support and can work from home or at the office. Either way I am just as productive. I do like cutting down on unnecessary meetings and the idea of cost savings. It’s so expensive to rent all those buildings at Greenway, old but expensive and not worth it. Myself and other technical people in my group spend very little time socializing. We may exchange pleasantries and conversation but just for a short period of time. Ie 15 mins or less. Those who spent time socializing a lot, ie gone from their desk up the halls chatting around for more than 30-45 minutes then come back complaining how much work they have to do are gone, no longer at OXY!
Personally, I do not need to see people to get my job done. Now with that said it seems like when we are in the office I am asked to do more things, but I am not sure those things are needed if not being required to do them when I am at home. I am a technical support person so I really just do what is required of me and I can do it at home or work. Not for sure, but we may also be able to right off a home office with our personal taxes, since we are actually working from home. If we can cut our office footprint at Greenway and other places that saves money, and I am sure the price tag for an office with rent, etc is high per employee. It all comes down to you and your manager trusting each other and you getting your work done.
All face time does is create problems. Too many people interrupting others, chatting about nothing, socializing. The whole day is unproductive. I see it all the time. You get more done WFH with few interruptions. Im serious, if Oxy takes the number of hours wasted through all the chatter and unproductiveness that come from all the unnecessary meetings, it will equate to high number of FTE's that should have been productive but got nothing done. In other words, Oxy is paying for unnecessary employees. Another indicator of bad management. I mean this kindly. The best I can.
I love my office and desktop computers. Have a great WFH set up but always good to be in the office, it would be good to have the flexibility of WFH and in office days weekly on a rotation basis with our teams, like 2 days a week. We do need Face Time. I really miss my co workers. Seeing them daily, etc.
Especially for those of us over 60 with the uncertainty of COVID-19 continuation through the summer this would be a nice option. Part WFH, Part office all the while minimizing exposures daily. It would be great if OXY HES can come up with some creative and compatible solutions for all while keeping us safe and healthy. But yet give us some time in the office with our team mates with safe social distancing and disinfection measures. There is just too much uncertainty. Right now with all the opening up this is like a big experiment that is sure to have some casualties which we all must avoid.
Be Well!
I am 64 and I smoke - if I catch things thing I'll die.
Not sure what to do - I may as well retire early - screw money.
If you have a wonderful manager, then I agree that would be awesome! If you have a micro-manager, it is still torture and nothing changes. The only alternative is to quit.
That will be awesome
2 a week? Why??
I have. I heard someone in a leadership position say that they did not ever think we would go back to the office full time. They said they think we will rotate being in the office 2 days a week.