Companies may be able to enforce attendance policies, but they cannot force genuine engagement or loyalty. When businesses prioritize rigid systems over practical realities and employee trust, they often risk losing their most valuable people.
https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/rules-are-rules-employee-quits-after-company-forces-5-day-office-return-manager-regrets-it-a-month-later/amp_articleshow/130970516.cms
I am still employed and working in the office, but I can honestly say the job market is extremely difficult right now. I’ve been actively looking for over two months because I believe many companies, including ours, will eventually need to make cuts in order to stay competitive and rebuild for the future.
When I apply for jobs, I often see over 200 applicants within a single day for roles almost similar to mine. I even had a recruiter reach out recently, and the very first question asked was whether I had a non compete agreement with my company.
It’s not personal it’s the reality of where the industry is heading. AI, outsourcing to lower-cost labor markets, and companies reevaluating the need for large office footprints are all reshaping the workforce. In technology specifically, many competitors are also going through high volume layoffs, so this is much bigger than just our company.
At some point, many of us may need to consider careers outside of traditional technology roles. As automation and AI continue to evolve, the number of positions companies truly need will likely continue to shrink.
Many of us grew up believing technology was the guaranteed path to longterm career success. Now, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the very industry we built our careers in may eventually make many of those same roles for us and even our children far less relevant than we ever imagined. So at this point if they want me in office at this point until l land somewhere else im staying.
@a6 the answer is to unionize
If a company requires 5 days in the office and that doesn’t work for you, then it may not be the right fit and that’s okay. No one is forcing anyone to stay. But the reality is, jobs in many fields are becoming harder to find, layoffs are happening, AI is changing the workforce, and outsourcing competition is increasing every day.
You have to pick your battles when it comes to providing for yourself and your family. If your employer is enforcing in office work and you know you don’t want that long term, my advice is to start looking now instead of waiting and complaining. New college grads are entering the market, and competition for roles is only going to get tougher. Best of luck to all of us.