Who is back in the office? (Cambridge: credit card, unemployment, store)

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

That would be me. I was 100% remote for about 9 months.

Then there was a hybrid phase mixed in there where I was in office on a 3/2 shchedule, but I am an engineer that works in a lab environment. It just became easier and somewhat necessary to get back in office.

I've been back 100% since March of 2021. I have no issue with it.


My entire team is back 100% for the same reasons except for one documentation person. I gave her the option of 100% remote or hybrid in-office 2 days a week and she chose the hybrid option.

ANd just got word today that we may be giving up our office spaces and cubicle farms to build more lab space.

Meaning there will be some off-site seating arrangements made, and some WFH/Hybrid options coming about. Apparently it's just cheaper to lease off-space given the abundance around, and turn our building into lab.


For me, it means I've gone from 100% remote, to hybrid, to 100% in person, and potentially back to hybrid all with the same company in the last 2 years.

Not official yet, likely coming in Q1'23

[WestieWhitie]

We’re officially hybrid though most of my team lives out in the boonies and I don’t make them show up at the office just to keep the chair warm, folks tend to be a lot more productive if they don’t waste 2+ hours daily driving to and from work.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

ANd just got word today that we may be giving up our office spaces and cubicle farms to build more lab space.

Meaning there will be some off-site seating arrangements made, and some WFH/Hybrid options coming about. Apparently it's just cheaper to lease off-space given the abundance around, and turn our building into lab.


For me, it means I've gone from 100% remote, to hybrid, to 100% in person, and potentially back to hybrid all with the same company in the last 2 years.

Not official yet, likely coming in Q1'23

I'm hoping they'll decide to convert my floor to lab space. Unlikely, but a girl can dream!

We don't have assigned desks and have to book a cube 2-3 weeks in advance to come in 3 days a week. That means that you are often unlikely to sit near your colleagues and there are people from other teams dispersed throughout. All of our meetings still have Zoom components and it's not uncommon to see one person in a 14 person conference room meeting with a screen of 10-15 other folks.

And don't get me started on not being able to pin up paper and sticky notes around my cube and monitor. I literally keep a file in my briefcase that I have to haul around with me. There's only so much room I have on my monitor for things I need regularly!

While I don't mind hybrid (my awful commute aside), I rarely have the in-person opportunities to relationship build because we're all on different schedules. It's definitely been beneficial to me as someone new on the team to have some face time, but since I never know where anyone is sitting it's more common for me to ping someone on teams than to search across an entire floor hoping someone is sitting at a desk where I can see them.

My boss in no way watches the clock or the calendar for the week, but I definitely feel too new to be skipping out on days in the office even if I'm wasting 3-4 hours in my car each time I come in.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

I'm hoping they'll decide to convert my floor to lab space. Unlikely, but a girl can dream!

We don't have assigned desks and have to book a cube 2-3 weeks in advance to come in 3 days a week. That means that you are often unlikely to sit near your colleagues and there are people from other teams dispersed throughout. All of our meetings still have Zoom components and it's not uncommon to see one person in a 14 person conference room meeting with a screen of 10-15 other folks.

And don't get me started on not being able to pin up paper and sticky notes around my cube and monitor. I literally keep a file in my briefcase that I have to haul around with me. There's only so much room I have on my monitor for things I need regularly!

While I don't mind hybrid (my awful commute aside), I rarely have the in-person opportunities to relationship build because we're all on different schedules. It's definitely been beneficial to me as someone new on the team to have some face time, but since I never know where anyone is sitting it's more common for me to ping someone on teams than to search across an entire floor hoping someone is sitting at a desk where I can see them.

My boss in no way watches the clock or the calendar for the week, but I definitely feel too new to be skipping out on days in the office even if I'm wasting 3-4 hours in my car each time I come in.

that sounds annoying. I know you took a big pay raise for the job so I'm sure it's worth it but it just seems like the company wants to see butts in seats so they can feel reassured or something.

[simplexsimon]

Our company is shopping for new space as the lease is up in a couple of years. Feedback has been to definitely make it more open and collaborative since we’re staying hybrid and don’t want people to feel like they’re just coming in to stare at a screen all day. Right now we’re suffering from not enough meeting rooms in the current space since everyone that goes in is trying to make full use of face to face.

Thanks OP for asking the question!

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by msRB311

that sounds annoying. I know you took a big pay raise for the job so I'm sure it's worth it but it just seems like the company wants to see butts in seats so they can feel reassured or something.

That's 100% true. My boss is very available on Teams but when he's in the office, he's so inundated with meetings that it's almost not worth it for him to be on-site anyway. Add to it that he flies in and out from halfway across the country each week, it makes even less sense (though the financial benefit makes the pain worth it, clearly). The message I get from my direct leadership is they don't really care what we do but the official line is in the sand.

The financial benefit is definitely worth the huge hit to my work-life balance for now, but if it continues this way then I will ride out the incoming recession as best I can and then use this experience to move somewhere more flexible within the field.

There's a big push for going down to 2 days a week once winter hits. We're also growing and I think once we have more staff than we have seats in our buildings, we will likely amp up the flexibility rather than buy/lease more office space. It's hard enough to find a conference room for meetings or a swing space for calls as it is!

[mdovell]

I was just in hartford for an event on Wednesday and to be frank getting out around noon there was hardly anyone out. Yeah a few joggers and some taking the bus but I don't think RTO is in CT at least. I feel a tad sorry for the restaurants.

The other factor into this is commercial leases are much longer than residential. So there is probably pressure by some employers to at least make it seem like some wanted RTO. Why? because if they left it known they weren't going back the rates would drop. Breaking a lease has high penalties so as they lapse we'll see less RTO.

I agree with the winter. Who wants to be stuck in traffic and it being cold?

With the economy I'm glad I bought a cheap house with a low rate. Can you imagine being underwater with a ARM with these energy prices?

[msRB311]

I kind of thought companies would have wanted to save money by having people be remote...but feels like the opposite is happening if they're actually paying people higher salaries to get their a$$ in a seat in Boston. wow.

[simplexsimon]

For companies that are in long term leases or own their buildings there’s not going to be much savings there. For those that have leases coming to end like mine we’re looking at smaller space with hybrid work, but willing to pay more per sqft for a nicer location and better amenities. Still might save some money at the end of the day given how soft the office market is.

[CrowGirl]

I changed jobs during the pandemic. We had been working from home and when I left there was talk of moving to a hybrid system of 2-3 days in the office. I understand that was finally implemented but I don't know firsthand as I joined a company that is based out of state so it is literally impossible for me to go in to the office on a routine basis. I have had to fly there a few tunes, but day to day remote by necessity. I don't think I could have joined them on a remote basis had I not done it when I did. Our recent hires have been local so that they can go into the office a few days a week, as my new employer is also hybrid for local employees.