Let's be realistic. What interest does the company leadership and the higher management tiers have in returning employees to the offices? I believe none. The expenses are much smaller, the work still gets done and the employees are generally much happier. Don't even want to mention that a certain employee can process a bigger workload given that he doesn’t have to commute and that he works in a more flexible manner.
I strongly believe that the leadership would be all for the continuation of working from home if they had the right info presented to them from the “field”. Buy that I mean that a lot of lower and middle managers are creating false reports about difficulties in the work process and false reasons why this model is not functioning as well as the classical model of going to the office. The reason for this is because WFH has shed a good light on the fact that the role of these managers is overrated and has proven that the work processes can function equally good (if not better) without the micromanagement,toxicity, pointless endless meetings etc.Basically the lower managers (not all) se the return to the office as a necessity in order to “save their skin”.
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Been in mobility for 25+ years, been able to be virtual over 90% of time and most weeks I worked more from remote locations than from the office except for some strategy sessions or customer facing appointments, or if some legacy old-school wireline manager wanted his Monday AM team meeting. Over my career I've worked more from the beach, mountains, coffee shops and outside locations than in the actual office. For me the office was really more of a social thing to catch-up with peers and have lunch, or after works socialize. The challenge now is that with everyone WFH those hallway -cubicle, lunch one-off conversations now require a MS teams web meeting and since we're on teams lets invite everyone involved-that's touches the account. These days I have to decline more meetings than I can actually accept.
“I admit to doing laundry, cutting grass, cleaning house, and going to the grocery while WFH.”
Must be nice to get all that done on the clock. I get to spend my weekends and off days doing those things.
Now a retired L2 but no people under me when working, my L3 was the only one from 5 levels who wanted RTO. As pointed out earlier, he wanted to 'document' his influence and it was getting harder and harder to do so when WFH.
AFAIK his peer L3s did not want RTO, so in general I think it would vary. This guy is very gregarious (excessively so) and feeds off other people's energy. Not in a good way as the way he does it is often zero sum.
@msc+1cBFYGiC nah, clowns like you are the laughingstocks of the company
Depends on your leadership.
If you have someone monitoring your VPN usage every minute of every day then returning to the office may feel less restrictive than WFH.
In my experience, there are some level 2/3 managers who are militant about having their teams work in the office. Strictly for checking boxes and nothing to do productivity or common sense. This is how managers are being paid, enforcing polices without prejudice or thinking. Mid level managers weren't alone, just ask anyone who has been in Marachel Knight's org. They were actively reviewing VPN usage report and asking about unexpected overages.
Are there productivity gaps between the office and WFH? Probably, but is it the top 10 priority problems that needs to be fixed, most would say it isn't. Management culture is to create/define the problem within their control, mandating office work fits right in. Just like divesting DTV/WM and then claim debt reduction as huge wins. None of the management geniuses are willing to tackle the real problems, the bureaucracy, the incompetence, conflicting roles and goals, etc. COVID turns out the be the great equalizer, Stankey and his cronies can show all their "see me work in the office" videos, but most employees just yawn and move on.
Productivity is always higher when in the office. #facts
Post ID: @1uno+1cBFYGiC
ho------t. especially in those fu----g bullpen open concept office areas. Everyone is on different conference calls with people in other locations. It's loud as sh-t, and difficult to get anything done.
there is a lot of $ and politics behind office space, furniture, consultants...
Productivity is always higher when in the office. #facts
I’m retiring by EOY so don’t care what will happen. T sc--w up office culture when they follow stupid Silicon Valley trends and created open offices and mixing people from different parts of the globe in same team. It does not work. When I go to the office I feel alienated. Office is only gossip platform.
You make some really good points, however you're missing one critical issue. The brick and mortar buildings are still out there. There are taxes, utilities, maintenance etc. associated with those buildings. If T could magically sell them off, I'm sure they would! Then they'd be all over WFH and find news ways to micromanage and inset toxicity! I'm an AM and our org was instructed to RTO on July 1st. My Director said he had no intentions of going back in and he didn't care if anyone else did. So we remain WFH. Time will tell how this all works out.
I am retired 20+ years mgt. My issue is that I was hired with good pay and benefits and 15 minutes from the office. My office changed 6 times, each farther away. My last office required a 1.5 hour drive and a 20 minute walk to and from the office. About 3.75 hours added to my day. Once approved for WFH, I worked more. I did not want to risk being called back to the office. AT&T & I benefited. I had suffered the 3.75 hours for 3 years to get closer to retirement age.
Stankey doesn't pay you the going market wage to take conference calls in your undies.....
Get back to the office and be grateful.
Telecommuting can not be done 'anywhere' on earth, even if technically possible to do so
The issue, is taxes. As I know it, taxes must be paid in the country where the money is earned. Typically, that means where you are sitting.
Copycats will follow the crowd. If other big corporations require workforce in the office T will follow. Unfortunately we are followers not leaders in the industry.
This is a "telecommunications" company... work from anywhere if your job permits. Other companies are allowing those that can.. to WFH indefinitely. SMH. Why the heck wouldn't ATT take advantage of promoting to the "outside" world the statement we've all been hearing "we can help with that" with adding like we do for our to employees.???
Middle and lower managers aren’t the ones putting on town halls. The power, control, and ego starts from the top down.
Just do your job… what dose it matter where you are work from.
Not all are extended.. Even though we can. Makes zero sense. And agree, lower mgmt need to speak up.
I WFH, have for years, I'm not lazy. I admit to doing laundry, cutting grass, cleaning house, and going to the grocery while WFH. As long as I get my work done who cares? Quit trying to stereotype all telecommuters. We are not all b-ms!
Most if not all employees eligible for telecommuting have been extended through 09/30/2022.