80% of bosses say they regret earlier return-to-office plans: ‘A lot of executives have egg on their faces’::As some business leaders accept hybrid work as a permanent reality, others are backtracking on earlier pledges to let employees work from home.
Working from home is a benefit that is worth money. People are willing to get paid less for the benefit of working from home all else equal. Effectively, if you got to work from home, you got a raise. Forcing people to come back to the office after allowing working from home is like giving a raise and then taking it back. I agree that this is shitty and sucks.
However, when you negotiated your pay it was for a particular job with certain benefits. Complaining about your company not giving you a benefit that wasn’t initially part of your hiring negotiation is basically asking for a raise that they aren’t obligated to provide.
Edit: I guess this isn’t a popular opinion. I felt I was contributing to a conversation that seemed a little one sided by offering an alternative look at it. From an economic perspective there’s nothing wrong about what I’ve said. I don’t agree that it’s a nice or even ethical thing to do, but the backlash (against companies that push for RTO) seems overly dramatic to me.
They weren’t obligated to provide it, no. The local Taco Bell never did (essential).
But once given (out of necessity), it becomes baseline. It is now the basis of comparison and part of the competition for talent. As many CEOs are finding out.
Doing the best work in the best place shouldn’t be considered a benefit given to you. It’s a benefit alright but mutually so.
Well, employees aren’t obligated to not resign either.
Yeah, that’s how employment works.