Antiwork

[Scarlet]

At the end of our two-day team meeting, we had the big Return to Office conversation. Our executive leadership team is now making the push for people to come back to the office. Not full time, mind you, but on a more regular basis. The head of our team (my former direct manager) lead the talk because she's hearing it from her manager who is hearing it from her manager who is the head our our entire group. I'm going to recap comments in no particular order and at the end would like your thoughts on one particular part.

• My former direct manager (MFDM) has only been in the office probably less than 10 times since mandatory WFH. She, like me, is nervous about getting COVID.
• Her manager has probably been in the office fewer times than that and is also a COVID worrier.
• Of our 13-person team, five of us live and work out of state.*
• Prior to COVID MFDM would be in the office around 8:00am-ish. She drove in, lives about 10-12 miles from the office heading south. Traffic always a problem.
• She says her manager might start coming in 2-3 days a week, maybe not for full days. So, she says when she (MFDM) comes in, she will try to head out around 3:00-ish to beat traffic and then finish her work day when she gets home.
• One of my team members brought up how we promote flexible work, remote work, etc. and how young people these days might not want to come in at 8:00am etc. We all talked about it, MFDM says - and this I agree with - if that's what a specific job needs, then maybe the position here at this company is not for you if that's how you feel. Not wording it correctly but I hope you all get the gist. I bring this up because she also said she plans to leave early to beat the traffic. Which to me is the same thing - you chose to live where you live. Just because you want to beat the traffic, what if I need you for something. I now have to wait till you get home and then my work day has to get extended? That's not right.
• Not sure if I mentioned earlier but our Corp Real Estate team is trying to come up with fun things in the office to get people to come in. One thing they decided on was every Wednesday at 4:00pm, they're going to have a happy hour, complete with alcohol. We were talking about it and I said "I don't think that's going to get people in the building. People aren't coming in because it's hard to get here, so parking would a good way to get them here." Naturally, my manager made a snide comment in front of MFDM and about three other team members about how parking is always an issue with me. Which really got me really annoyed. This isn't just me. I have talked to others in my department about this. The amount of money they're spending on these weekly happy hours could be put to better use.
• And then right on cue - this story came out yesterday. I have not taken the MBTA since COVID began. I had always planned to ease back into it but there have been SOOOOO many issues. This is the subway line I take. It will probably be longer than 30 days (thought I hope not) so I will have to drive.

Sorry to be long winded. The feedback I want to get from all of you is on the bullet with *. We talked about inequities between those that work remotely and those of us that should be going to the office. What do you think is an option to make things even across our team? The only thing I can think of is salary/monetary. If the locals have to spend money to get to the office, should there be some sort of way to compensate us? Have any of you heard of any studies or articles about this? MFDM told us she and her peers and manager were discussing about allowing us to get together in person once a quarter. So that's even more money being spent to fly those five up here and put up at a hotel. I know it's going to continue to be discussed and I want to provide some valid points.

[Swansong]

Honestly, I'm not in favor of any "extras" for people that go in vs. people that work remotely. In my opinion, the nature of your work determines whether you're required to go into an office/workplace, and then policy should be "Do you want to come in? Then come in. Otherwise, don't."

[Scarlet]

I don't disagree with you but there is now an active push to get people back. Thankfully it's not mandated yet but it might be. We've been working at home for 2 1/2 years with no issue. I've had to go in on occasion because my job dictates I need to be there but if I don't need to be, I don't. And I have no problem going in. Part of me is wondering if city leaders are reaching out to large employers and asking them to make this push. I also feel that it's an expense issue - that there are costs associated with keeping the building open for so few people. Who knows what might happen there - selling real estate?

One thing that wasn't made clear is if it's company-wide or just our office. We are corporate headquarters and the biggest office in the company. In conversations with many of our offices across the country, a lot of employees are going full remote and there doesn't seem to be much of a mandate to be in the office in person.

[MissThundercat]

Today, I learned that if I make my resignation effective the 16th, all of my unused PTO will be cashed out.

That will help, considering ADP will mail out my first paycheck from the new job.

[Kepler]

Today, I learned that if I make my resignation effective the 16th, all of my unused PTO will be cashed out.

That will help, considering ADP will mail out my first paycheck from the new job.

That makes sense. You accrued your PTO, it's yours. Future unused Vacation days are however not yours.

[dxmnkd316]

That makes sense. You accrued your PTO, it's yours. Future unused Vacation days are however not yours.

Depends on how your employer works PTO and what your state laws are though right? I thought some states do pay it out based on certain criteria and others don't or have different criteria.

[Kepler]

Depends on how your employer works PTO and what your state laws are though right? I thought some states do pay it out based on certain criteria and others don't or have different criteria.

Oh I'm sure red states try their best to **** the employees because The Rich Employer Has The Divine Mandate.

[Kepler]

Yes.

[Scarlet]

Yes.

That was fantastic.

[MissThundercat]

I love my job.

I can't stand the industry.

[MissThundercat]

Coworker tonight told me "when you leave, I'm screwed."

I said nothing in return, but in my head I'm thinking "I fail to see how that's my problem."

[Scarlet]

Why am I telling one of our Internal Communications VPs how to word an email to 10 employees? :bangs head on desk:

They randomly selected 10 employees to win a t-shirt, they need to reach out to the 10 and get addresses and t-shirt size. I only have 3 sizes so they have to pick one. Also, the head of our team asked me to order the shirts and mail them. I told I would send up to our corporate mailroom to do that. She tells me when she sent out shirts to her leadership team (like, 15 of them), she did it herself. She wound up going to Staples, hand wrote addresses, which looked so unprofessional, and expensed postage. I told her we have no envelopes in the office and our corporate mailroom will address, kit and ship and just charge a cost center for postage. I am not a fulfillment house.

[MissThundercat]

New job is so far, so good. Very inclusive agency, pronouns on badges, and it sounds like they will allow me space to de-escalate when a situation arises.

It doesn't hurt that this is a secular organization.

As for the outgoing job, I just have to do two more shifts and I am out. My former job is a situation where people are taking pay cuts to get out of there.

[MissThundercat]

I turn 41 in September.

It's no longer about finding a career; it's about finding the least annoying way to afford food and shelter.

[Kepler]

I turn 41 in September.

It's no longer about finding a career; it's about finding the least annoying way to afford food and shelter.

59.

Can confirm.