‘Don’t Mess With Us’: WebMD Parent Company Demands Return to Office in Bizarre Video::“I’ve seen better acting by hostages in direct to DVD movies,” one anonymous worker wrote about the video.

  • Wermhatswormhat@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I’m so tired of businesses claiming that the only way for a company to be successful is if everyone is in person for the dear dear meetings. We all know exactly what this is about. 1. It’s more dofficult to micromanage employees when a manger can’t constantly observe them, and 2. All the giant real estate investments companies have made is now coming due and they cant fill up their buildings fast enough to get those tax breaks. Why the hell else are they “tracking” people in the office. Meanwhile senior leadership can come and go whenever they see fit. It’s control. Plain and simple.

  • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Yeah this is bullshit. Just middle and senior management trying to justify their jobs and all the expenses they’ve made on office real estate. I’ve worked 100% from home for 3 years now, and not only is my productivity much higher, but the team dynamic is better and the worker output overall is better too.

    I get some people do better face to face with colleagues, and are happier and more productive. And to those people I say: Go for it! Go into the office and be at your best!

    But companies should not force the rest of us to piss time and money away commuting for zero gain and just extra frustration and unhappiness.

    • _number8_@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      it’s honestly blowing my mind learning recently how many people not only literally love their shitty jobs but also want to see millions of others subjugated to the grind for absolutely no net benefit

    • ChrislyBear@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      to piss time and money away commuting

      So much this! Why is it OK for us to waste our most valuable resource, time?? If you waste company time or assets, you’ll be fired.

  • thesystemisdown@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    As a consumer, I will now forever remember that WebMD’s C Suite is most interested in “crushing their competition” and being heavy handed with their employees. I once thought that they were concerned about the betterment of societal health. This is how you lose your most performant employees.

    I can’t believe they published this to a publically available platform like Vimeo. Did they already lose their Marketing executive?

  • Sekrayray@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I’m so sick and god damned tired of corporations and governments making sweeping decisions with no evidence base to back them up. I work in a field where there is no option for remote work, but I think it’s pretty clear at this point that most non-service industries can be just as effective via remote options. All of this is just about control and it’s so stupid.

      • IDriveWhileTired@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        More about real estate than anything else, to be honest. You have far more control over remote work than in the office. I know how many minutes each member of my team spends on any and all websites, can log keyboards, to the point I don’t recommend to anyone working remotely to access bank accounts on their work computers.

  • notannpc@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Jesus. What fucking lunatics. That video never needed to exist. Just be like every other corp and send an email. At least that news story would have blended in with all the other RTO trash.

    Now I’ll just forever remember that webMDs parent company is operated by unhinged boomers.

  • foggy@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Do you want more unions?

    This is how you get more unions.

    Fuck around and find out. I’m ok with more unions.

    Make all of us mad and put us all in close proximity. Good idea. Not one of us will consider googling “how to form a union” with a few coworkers. It’s probably too hard to do anyways (it isn’t).

  • paddirn@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    WebMD? They realize we’re in the midst of a Covid resurgence, right? You’d think a company like that would be a bit more understanding of stuff like that, given that they’re supposed to be experts on medicine and all.

    • space@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      11 months ago

      Return to the office isn’t about medicine, it’s about entitled executives power tripping over the workers. At every medium/large company I worked for, upper management lived in its own bubble completely disconnected from the rest. I can give so many examples of poor decisions made by upper management that had a huge negative impact on the company and especially the workers. But regardless, they never gave a shit about our opinions and feedback. They didn’t even tell us why they made those decisions.

      • foggy@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        It’s about corporate real estate, profit margins, taxes, banks, interest rates, the economy, and more.

        WFH has completely changed the economic landscape, and virtually all industries are impacted.

        I embrace the change. Business men with shareholders do not. Banks with trillions of dollars in corporate mortgages and leases also do not. Etc.

  • neclimdul@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Are they in front of green screens? Did he not even bother to come into the office to record this?

  • Ook the Librarian@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    I love response to the backlash. It’s basically “Sorry our video was cringy and tonedeaf. We have removed the cringe.”

  • Gerula@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Let the corporate whips crack! Let the slaves fall back in line! We want profits!

    Because you’re awesome, important to us, we care about your well being. We are a big family after all!

      • Gerula@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        It doesen’t matter that much, corporate ghouls have justified their existance!

  • MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    People who haven’t come in to the office yet do it for a reason. They like it. They are happier. Happier employees are better employees.

    They get more sleep so they are more alert or have more time for hobbies and recreation. They don’t have to spend as much on gas or childcare. They don’t use the office’s electricity, water, facilities, coffee/snacks.

    Make it a choice. For the betterment of humanity and the planet.

    When someone makes videos like this, you don’t get the best people to come work for your company, you get the most desperate.

    But then again, maybe that’s what they want. Idiots.

  • alienanimals@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    Tech company executives who ignore data need to be held accountable for their actions by their employees. People need to stand up and stop being sheep.

    • MaxPow3r11@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Exactly. It’s time to stand up while we can.

      We can’t let these fucks take over the entire reality with their own “version” which is complete bullshit.