Everyone required to be back in office for at least 3 days a week starting May 2. Poor timing as fuel prices are at an all time high and employees will have to eat the cost of commuting. Will be the same as taking a pay cut. Wondering how many will seek out fully remote positions and leave Staples. Job market is ripe at the moment.
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The office is so quiet. Everybody just kind of keeps to themselves. I got an instant message from somebody sitting just 30 feet away. And the office printer has been deathly quiet and collecting dust. Nobody prints anything anymore. Why are we not fully remote?
Back in office for 3 weeks now. The commute is horrible. Fighting traffic brings out the worst in people. When in the office, there is nothing happening that can't also happen remotely. People are attending meetings from their cubes so how is that different than being remote?
You all sat on your duffs for 2 years, spending hardly anything on gas. What the heck did you spend it on......you should all have a substantial savings that gas prices are a non factor. Plenty of us didn't have the luxury of working from home and made the trudge day in and day out. Get back to work and deal with the gas prices like the rest of us.
Go back to the office only to be cut when the May slashing begins
You all realize what we sell right? OFFICE products. Make sense now?
Being in the office is not bad at all. A bit of normalcy actually. Gas prices were at 4 a few years back. We survived. Go on in… Try it, you might like it.
My department never stopped for the "pandemic". We've reported to work everyday even if it's 100 miles round trip to work and back, and high gas prices. If you still have a job, feel fortunate. Want to make a change....go ahead. I've been jerked around a lot but count it a blessing I get to punch in Monday morning.
Another company that Sycamore Partners owns called Belk decided to go fully remote a few months ago. They are trying to lease out their corporate headquarters since they won't be needing it anymore. Not a terrible idea for an additional income stream. Why doesn't this strategy apply to Staples as well? What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.
The short notice is really bad form on Sycamore's part. I do recall them saying there would be a 90 day notice. Another lie.
There are people on the remote infrastructure team that get to live like kings not having to come into work. Sure they deserve it, but also if part of the team has to come into the office, then all of the team should have to come into the office.
There's a form to fill out to request other arrangements like full remote. Take advantage of that. I did it last year and haven't been told I need to come back. I'd fight it like crazy if I were told to. It is not worth it at all with the price of gas and the fact that raises were well below inflation. It was also supposed to be a 90 day warning based on what was said last year, not a 30 day one. HR and the SLT are so tone-deaf it astounds me.