Atlanta office ghost towns wait and wait and wait for workers’ to return (Rome: rental car, apartments)

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Humanista

Yahoo, when it existed reverted WFH too. Personally, I can see value of being in the office and collaboration can be real. It depends on what you do. If you are a coder maybe it is perfectly fine for you to work at home. However, if you are in a strategic role or even a cross functional role where you work with people from different teams, it is MUCH EASIER to be in one place.

I think my company will go to a model where we go into the office for meetings or specific events. I wouldn't be surprised if we were close to 50/50 home and office.

Also, again depending on the industry, face-time can be valuable for promotions. Not to say this wouldn't change eventually, but if given the choice and a desire to advance, this can be real.

Finally, there have been studies coming out showing that yes people are more productive at home and they are burning out. Perhaps this would be different if social distancing wasn't a thing, but I know when I worked from home in the past (for about 2 years) and I had to manage people who worked all hours of the day, I also worked all hours of the day. 18 hours wasn't unusual. Yes it was a start-up, but that just meant there was always something that needed to be done. At least I enjoyed it.

Studies prior to the pandemic were generally showing WFH was less productive on average. That's why management was pulling back from it.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by citidata18

Some posters in this thread are really being obtuse and missing the point.

It's not about being "entitled." We're merely discussing the absurdity of many of the "ways and rules" companies impose. That doesn't mean we won't go along with them if we have to, but last I checked we do live in America and we do have the right to express our opinion on the subject.

And frankly, throughout history, the only way change has ever been given a second thought is by people questioning the status quo. Keeping your mouth shut because "that's just the way it is" accomplishes nothing. As the saying goes, only the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

And there are times when the squeaky wheel gets replaced.

[M3Guy]

Originally Posted by bu2

And there are times when the squeaky wheel gets replaced.

Bingo

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by bu2

Studies prior to the pandemic were generally showing WFH was less productive on average. That's why management was pulling back from it.

If it makes sense for the company, WFH is here to stay. If it doesn't, it won't.

But a company stands to save a lot of money if it can get a sizeable number of its employees to be just-as-or-more productive in a WFH format. At one time, I was in the Maintenance Dept. in a large facility. Many jobs had to be done on-site, because that's where the "tools" were. But many others were not, and those folks are great WFH candidates, with the company having the potential to save a lot of money - think smaller building footprint, less remodeling, less HVAC, less cleaning - our janitorial bill exceeded $300K per year alone, and I probably spent a couple grand a month on hand soap, paper, towel, TP, sanitary supplies, etc.. Then you've got parking lot maintenance, snowplowing, landscaping, etc., all of which go down as the facility size shrinks. You'd be amazed at how much it costs just to manage building security (assigning office door and furniture keys, Officers, cameras, etc.). Less vended services like plumbers, electricians, IS, etc. will be needed.

If it does get to be a long-term thing, I can see people assigning significant square footage of their homes to dedicated "office" space, taking advantage of the associated tax deductions. Vehicle mileage and fuel consumption will stay down significantly (as it has during Covid), which will change the way taxes for things like roads and bridges are collected. There will be a significant reduction in money spent on corporate building expenses, and even affect incidental things like Day Care (and even Doggy Day Care, LOL). It sure does have the ability to shake things up going forward, that's for sure. And as some have posted above, in a "good" way, depending on whether you're a corporate shareholder, or a small business providing facility support services.

The trick for investors will be, as it always has been, to accurately predict the future, and decide who the winners and losers from it will be. I have to wonder if WFH won't trigger a significant economic contraction - maybe the final gift from Covid will be a major recession, and not the "temporary" one folks believe we're currently experiencing. I can guarantee you that the Biggada Bosses in Corporate America are already having this same conversation.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by Curly Q. Bobalink

There will be a significant reduction in money spent on corporate building expenses, and even affect incidental things like Day Care (and even Doggy Day Care, LOL).

Doggy day care, sure. But I can’t see the need for day care going away.

Imagine trying to get work done when your infant or toddler keeps on interrupting you. It’d just be like “bring your kid to work day” but every day.

Once the kids become tweens or teens I agree, you won’t need after care, but younger children can’t effectively be watched by a parent who is trying to focus and work.

[Citykid3785]

What's the update? If you work in a white collar office job, what's the current status of when you're slated to return to the office (if at all)?

Mine just sends a note out each month effectively saying "we aren't returning until at least 2 months from now" even when they do, it will be phased and I'd be on the back end of that phasing. So, at the earliest I wouldn't be back until mid summer

I should note that regardless of what the office does, I've already négotiated permanent 1-2 days/wk in the office when we return.

[PeteATL41]

I think summer for large scale return is most likely scenario. My office is open with a cap at 30% occupancy, but actual number of people on-site is far below that. I would expect it to start increasing as the vaccination program reaches critical mass. However, even post covid I expect we will go from 80% on site every day to a model where people will incorporate partial WFH in their normal working routine depending on their role and current projects etc.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by markjames68

Doggy day care, sure. But I can’t see the need for day care going away.

Imagine trying to get work done when your infant or toddler keeps on interrupting you. It’d just be like “bring your kid to work day” but every day.

Once the kids become tweens or teens I agree, you won’t need after care, but younger children can’t effectively be watched by a parent who is trying to focus and work.

Even if there's only one parent working from home, and the other is in the office, I assume there is flexibility with hours such that the non-WFH parent could take care of Junior while the WFH parent is doing their job.
Obviously, you're correct if the WFH parent has to take calls or something during traditional working hours, and they can't arrange any kind of overlap. Hopefully, the kids are able to go back to school eventually, so we're only talking about 1-4 year-olds. I have to wonder how they're going to reconcile the kids that didn't learn much during the lockdowns vs. those who have, apparently absenteeism has been a big thing for many kids. Will they be held back, having to repeat this school year? Another thread, I guess.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by Curly Q. Bobalink

Even if there's only one parent working from home, and the other is in the office, I assume there is flexibility with hours such that the non-WFH parent could take care of Junior while the WFH parent is doing their job.
Obviously, you're correct if the WFH parent has to take calls or something during traditional working hours, and they can't arrange any kind of overlap. Hopefully, the kids are able to go back to school eventually, so we're only talking about 1-4 year-olds. I have to wonder how they're going to reconcile the kids that didn't learn much during the lockdowns vs. those who have, apparently absenteeism has been a big thing for many kids. Will they be held back, having to repeat this school year? Another thread, I guess.

If there’s shift work I guess it’s possible, but painful.

But 2 white collar workers? Difficult if not impossible.

The expectation is that if you’re WFH you’re immediately available when called on.

[sedimenjerry]

My company was trying to do a phased back to the office for people who wanted to go back. That got fully axed in November.
They probably won't re-try that until Summer. Mandatory back in the office maybe in the Fall but who knows.

I know the company is saving a lot of money just on travel. I'm starting a training program that normally would send a couple dozen workers from across the country to one state for a few weeks, then back "home", then to another office for a few weeks, back home, then back to the original for a few weeks. That's flights, lodging, and meals that they aren't having to pay for. I won't lie, I wish they'd give us an extra bonus or something, at least for the meals.
There's also the "extra" stuff at the office. Lunch every so often, cake for bdays, breakfast every so often, etc.