It’s absolutely about control. Example. I did a short spell at a hedge fund earlier this year and they were hyper-focussed about staff being onsite. Didn’t even have seating in the kitchen or a dining area. Just bank after bank of fixed desks with people yelling at each other on video calls to other people in the same office. Control, control, control.
Maybe I’m lucky to not work in such a horrible environment. Thanks for sharing. Why do people put up with it… I mean I know it’s not always easy to find work elsewhere.
In this particular case, a combination of factors:
The company must ensure that all work-related communications for the traders (the people directing billions for the organisation and its customers) are recorded, not just recording all phone calls and emails, literally everything. They like to have these people work onsite for this because of course nobody can ever be trusted and nobody ever goes to lunch…
Management is all boomers - literally can’t get their heads around remote work. They think that if you aren’t in the office suffering then you are skiving. It’s literally about an identity and conformity.
Management is completely focussed on traders - 'if they all have to be here then so must everyone else’
They pay exceptionally well. Absolutely a horrible environment but if you move the needle at a hedge fund then they will pay you more than any other type of employer.
It’s 1,000% about control. The boomers just fall apart and crumple to their knees begging for mercy, when they think about all those people at home doing their laundry and watching TV while they work. Which I 100% do by the way, yet I’m still way more productive in both my professional and personal life. Which might have something to do with not spending two hours a day in traffic and dealing with unnecessary distractions and curveballs at the whim of my office mates all day long.
Just to clarify I’m not saying the productivity argument to force everyone back is valid. I think I’m just lucky to be working with reasonable people who value the flexibility of a balance of WFH and RTO. Managers and other staff alike.
There is no flexibility when you have mandated WFH and RTO. Can you come and go on your own accord, going to an office only when you feel you would better accomplish your tasks there? That’s flexibility. We work from home Monday Tuesday, and at the office Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday? That’s not flexibility.
If by economy you mean business owners, business real estate, and the stock market, yes. The RTO mandates certainly aren’t about protecting the workers or productivity though.
Remember, the workers, buying power, and productivity are part of “the economy” too, it’s not just what the stock market is doing. RTO mandates are harming that for jobs that can be done remotely.
Zeshade@lemmy.world 5 months ago
It’s not about control, it’s about trying to protect the economy from uncertainty.
MrPoopbutt@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Lol what an empty statement.
BleatingZombie@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Shhh! Don’t scare the economy!
Zeshade@lemmy.world 5 months ago
I don’t know. It seemed clear enough to me. I tried to clarify. Maybe I’m overthinking it but I find those that think it’s about control a bit naive.
SquiffSquiff@lemmy.world 5 months ago
It’s absolutely about control. Example. I did a short spell at a hedge fund earlier this year and they were hyper-focussed about staff being onsite. Didn’t even have seating in the kitchen or a dining area. Just bank after bank of fixed desks with people yelling at each other on video calls to other people in the same office. Control, control, control.
Zeshade@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Maybe I’m lucky to not work in such a horrible environment. Thanks for sharing. Why do people put up with it… I mean I know it’s not always easy to find work elsewhere.
SquiffSquiff@lemmy.world 5 months ago
In this particular case, a combination of factors:
WarmApplePieShrek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 months ago
Because if you don’t put up with it, you die.
GrindingGears@lemmy.ca 5 months ago
It’s 1,000% about control. The boomers just fall apart and crumple to their knees begging for mercy, when they think about all those people at home doing their laundry and watching TV while they work. Which I 100% do by the way, yet I’m still way more productive in both my professional and personal life. Which might have something to do with not spending two hours a day in traffic and dealing with unnecessary distractions and curveballs at the whim of my office mates all day long.
SpezBroughtMeHere@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Hey, you had the opportunity to let the boomer remover do its thing, but y’all had to go and get everybody vaccinated.
Zeshade@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Just to clarify I’m not saying the productivity argument to force everyone back is valid. I think I’m just lucky to be working with reasonable people who value the flexibility of a balance of WFH and RTO. Managers and other staff alike.
GrindingGears@lemmy.ca 5 months ago
There is no flexibility when you have mandated WFH and RTO. Can you come and go on your own accord, going to an office only when you feel you would better accomplish your tasks there? That’s flexibility. We work from home Monday Tuesday, and at the office Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday? That’s not flexibility.
GrundlButter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 months ago
If by economy you mean business owners, business real estate, and the stock market, yes. The RTO mandates certainly aren’t about protecting the workers or productivity though.
Remember, the workers, buying power, and productivity are part of “the economy” too, it’s not just what the stock market is doing. RTO mandates are harming that for jobs that can be done remotely.
Zeshade@lemmy.world 5 months ago
Yes I meant what you said, exactly. The part of the economy that serves business owners.
GrundlButter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 months ago