Welcome back to the office everyone! We want you to stay…really.
That’s the message that companies are twisting themselves into knots trying to convey, with mixed results.
Many workers have gotten used to the perks of doing their jobs remotely—I can take the kids to school, have dinner with the family, run errands, work without interruption—which makes coaxing them back to the office easier said than done.
Companies have been trying a variety of approaches.
Elon Musk required Twitter employees to sign a pledge to be “hardcore” and reportedly brought in some beds to set expectations. As if that wasn’t clear, he also circulated a memo specifically telling employees that they need to be in the office “a minimum of 40 hours” per week. “If you don’t show up, we will assume you have resigned,” Musk added.
Law firm Sidley Austin decided to encourage associate attorneys by threatening to cut their bonus cash (ranging from $20,000-$120,000) if they don’t go to work in-person at least three times a week.
Other organizations are trying a softer touch—bringing out carrots like free lunches, parking, pool tables, and ping pong.
Still not good enough? There’s also the specter of layoffs roiling Corporate America right now. Daily news of job cuts sends a thinly veiled message to those who might be weighing where to spend their work day: It’s probably easier to let someone go if you don’t see them on a regular basis.
There is no right answer that applies across the board to all...
BJP national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Gandhi’s political understanding was “virtually non-existent” and alleged that he lacked even a “fundamental understanding of Indian politics”.