#rto

Between layoffs, RTO, increased offshoring, and other forms of attrition, it feels like I’m standing on ground that’s slowly melting away. Great for morale, of course.

Almost two hours wasted on the commute. On a good day. Feels like that was the plan from the start, to force people out without paying a dime. People mention real estate/tax incentives as the main driver of RTO, but I think it’s mostly about cutting headcount on the cheap. Everything else comes second. Time will tell.

I was told on Tuesday that RTO will happen and I am on the list to be notified on Monday. But non of my team is on the list. I have one team member who is with in 30 minutes drive. They are a pg27. Is RTO based on paygrade as well?

The rumor mill isn’t just noise this time, there’s a storm brewing. Multiple friends in high places are warning me NVWs are squarely in the target zone for Q4 layoffs. RTO FTW purges were just the appetizer. Now leadership wants the main course, headcount slashes big enough to make Wall Street smile. If you’re NVW and haven’t committed to moving to a hub, look out! You’ve been warned.

Hi, everyone.

I will preface this post with a disclaimer:
I have been struggling while working on this post off and on all day because I believe the people who came here looking for answers should get them. I have to be cautious of what I say and how I say it to not tip off my role within the company. If this seems overly vague, I apologize, but please understand that I need to try to protect my own well-being (or what’s left of it, anyway).

Some of you may already know that there has been a clash in ideology for some time between the Board of Directors and the C-Suite Leadership team. The tumultuous acquisition of the CareAllies (HealthSpring) business has only intensified the situation. Maurice has been the mediator between the two for some time, or has at least attempted to be. He has proven unsuccessful in this effort, however.

The board independently sought out an external consultative analysis of roles and organizational structure within HCSC post-acquisition close back in March. The suggested outcome of that activity is what all of us are experiencing today and/or throughout the rest of this week.

It’s being communicated that the decisions of who has been released is based on “span of control”. In reality, it seems purely financial, but incredibly random. Some divisions were asked to eliminate 5% of their total headcount, others were given specific targeted individuals who were high in their respective pay scales (which also coincided with longer tenures in most instances).

This began today (Wednesday) with various roles across various Strategic teams, Finance, Customer Experience, Digital, IT, EPMO, various Product teams, Pharmacy, and some Customer Service Operations verticals. This impacted both HCSC and Cigna conveyed employees, but the logic behind the selections on both sides is confusing, at best. Many leaders were not clued in on these decisions until after the process was well underway.

This RIF will continue into the lower levels of both exempt and non-exempt staff throughout the rest of this week, although I cannot disclose what areas are next to be impacted. I hope you can understand.

The Org Chart will be down for some time, and you can expect to see some significant shake up at the Executive Leadership level.

If you haven’t been able to tell already, the company’s morale is about to be the lowest it’s ever been. Tensions will be high in the coming weeks and months and it’s very likely that this may not be the only round of releases before end of year.

There’s also some discussion taking place right now of a full 5 day RTO to provide expected additional attrition as a means of budgetary relief, but it was settled that this round of RIF was to happen regardless. VSPs for eligible employees is considered a potential contingency plan at this point if attrition goals are not met effectively.

Stay strong and if I can come back with more insight, I will do so.

They show a minimum of days in office of 4 days a week. Check it out yourself in job search. I just looked at a random job posting that said remote in Minnesota

A lot of people it should theoretically apply to, including me, still haven’t. All it’s done so far is create a ton of confusion.

During a couple of these department specific office hours talks, apparently some of the department heads are pushing back a bit on the 5 day RTO (among other things).
Anyone think this is going to lead to anything?

All DC and MN telecommuters are now required to come in. 65+ page document with a hundred names on each doc was released on people with statuses revoked.

Criteria was 30 miles to either office.

Time to leave the company

Has anyone heard the rumblings that HCSC is considering upping their in-office requirement to 4 or 5 days a week? My boss eluded to it the other day and framed it as the company wanting us to either get onboard or get out.

I've been on a medical exemption for the last 4 months - a legit one - and the last 1x1 I had RTO was never even brought up. I was asked how I was doing but that was it. I report to a director so, a step up from a sr. manager and is one who would have more insight into all of that - I think anyways...

I'm almost wondering if this was a sneaky scare tactic Dell/JC made. Enforce a mandatory 5 days/week RTO that gets tracked and enforce it for a quarter; then back off and/or totally stop tracking/caring but don't tell anybody.

Think about it... If you/managers/directors don't know if they are still tracking it, people will continue to go in, right? The moment people find out that they AREN'T tracking it anymore... Nobody will go in.

I suppose the only test would be to NOT go in and see if your manager/director says anything about it... But I have a sneaky suspicioun that they aren't really tracking that anymore. If they are, it's likely just wanting a few days/week.

Any one else hearing about the office closures and consolidations outside of the west coast?

Is your location impacted or is it just limited to San Diego, San Francisco and Long Beach? Seems strange when we are trying to bring people back to the office to collaborate and share.

Has anyone gotten flagged before and how many days until they actually notice.

Got a message from my manager saying full office hours are expected if you are in office :(

The fact that we are going to 4/1 when there is only 1 desk for every 1.3 employees at Harbor Point makes me think that we will have more layoffs before bonus time. There are literally not enough desks for people to reserve 4 days a week right now.

New badge scanners popping up across various offices. Is Truist getting serious about WTO?

When we worked from home, people cared more. We gave work extra attention, checked in after hours, and delivered our best because we had the energy to. With 5-day RTO, that’s gone. Now it’s just “do your 8, get out, forget about work.” The commute wears everyone down, the scramble for unassigned seats is ridiculous, and by the time you settle in, you’re already drained.

This idea that RTO “fosters collaboration” is a complete fantasy. There hasn’t been a single in-person meeting. None. Everyone is still on Teams calls with headphones in, just now doing it in a noisy, call-center style cube farm. The only collaboration happening in the office is people bonding over how much they hate leadership and this pointless RTO policy.

It’s not one-size-fits-all. Forcing everyone into the same miserable setup doesn’t make the company stronger, it just burns people out and lowers the quality of work. Productivity, morale, and loyalty are all tanking. But sure, let’s keep pretending warm chairs equal results.

Hearing from multiple coworkers in different orgs that the company is moving to an even harder stance on 5 days.

I honestly don’t see myself ever going back to the office. What happens if I just dont show up—would they actually fire me? Do they even track badge swipes? Is HR planning to enforce this policy ?

I never left the office. I don't have that luxury or privilege.

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/return-to-office-workers-fail-3d966807?mod=hp_lead_pos1

The Rush to Return to the Office Is Stalling

Microsoft, Paramount and other companies are stepping up calls to get back to the workplace. Many of their employees are still phoning it in.
Big companies from Microsoft to Paramount and NBCUniversal are ordering workers to show up to the office more often. If only their staffs would heed the call.

Even as corporate bosses cut back on remote work and ratchet up in-office mandates, average office attendance has barely budged across U.S. workplaces. Companies are struggling to enforce mandates, and many managers tasked with herding folks into the office would rather not be there either. Other executives have made their peace with hybrid work, especially amid cooling consumer confidence and an unpredictable trade war.
...

They just hired Darcie Henry to run HR. The same Darcie who spent decades at Amazon while they became infamous for break-neck quotas, high injury rates, and treating workers like garbage. Then she went to Snapchat where she was part of cutting 20% of the company in one sweep. After that, she jumped to Flexport and tossed out during leadership mess when the CEO bailed. That's her track record, layoffs, chaos, and employees left holding the bag. If you think she was brought here to make life at AT&T better for employees, you're kidding yourself. She's here to do what JS says to do, protect the company, and squeeze people harder. She's an RTO cheerleader so, you can forget any kind of hybrid work. Morale won't go up under her leadership, it will tank further and further down.

What are we doing about the Band 5s in non strategic sites? They’re cashing chex laughing at the rest of us go back to the office….

What a crock that us staff must adjust to RTO but they still work from home and don’t come in the office. We all see it….

Examples - Alpharetta GA, Annapolis Junction MD, Tampa FL

I thought they were tracking office attendance. Why are some people exempt (I'm not talking about folks who were remote before the pandemic)? Do their managers go to bat for them? What else could be the reason?

Have the rules relaxed or it is still 5 days RTO?

Anything?

The only thing I can think of is that now I'm fully ignoring anything work related after business hours, and I used to be available at all hours while WFH. But that certainly can't be considered an improvement for the company. Is there anything you can think of?

For those that haven't been in an office for years, what is the general dress code in the Hub locations?
Is everyone wearing jeans these days?

Why do techs in India get to work from home, but we are forced to work in dreadful conditions in an American office?

From what I’m hearing, there will be no exceptions for people who were originally hired as remote. I simply can’t commute or work in the office for a variety of reasons - location and disability among them. That’s exactly why I sought a remote role in the first place, and my situation isn’t unique. I know people like me will probably be dealt with in phase 2, but it would be good to know what we can expect. It’s tough enough for others to find a job in this economy, doubly so for people in my position.

Looks like some have been told today to be ready to move to Dallas. Its pack up and go or go. Dallas is where the work will be

I have heard rumors of an MD meeting that took place recently, need to be in the office minimum 7 hours. Abusing thing will lead to being on the naughty list.

I've now scheduled my ME day three times, and each time something comes up. Today was the third attempt, and I've been told I need to provide information to my manager by noon. Every time I try to take this day, I'm told there's something due or overdue, and because we’re so short-staffed, I need to step up. I’m just exhausted.

On top of this, my boss has already said I need to start coming into the office three days a week before November 1st. They’ve also questioned why I haven't done any charity work this year, saying it could affect my performance review and that I should try to schedule something. I’m working seven days a week, and yet it still doesn’t feel like enough. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up.

HP has really turned into one of the worst places to work. It feels like nothing more than a sweatshop. I am told, no salary increases and no bonuses this year and that I should be happy to have a job considering the job market. I am just tired and ranting and I am sure no one cares especially here.

The Connected Vehicle all hands ended in the most disappointing way imaginable.

"No-one agrees with what has happened" - Really, now? Then why has it been mandated so sloppily, before anyone was ready for it, and completely ignoring the business needs of a multinational corporation when it comes to collaboration across timezones?

"We can't change it" - Perhaps that is a sign of bad leadership. Was there not an opportunity to challenge the RTO policy? Perhaps involving employees in a cross-company collaborative exercise to investigate ways office time could work.

"That's all the questions answered" - It wasn't. It was a flippant dismissal of employees' very real concerns around incorrect emails harassing employees, threatening termination, and the very real economic penalties this now applies to many people working for this company.

And sure, Ford Land are going to be inundated with complaints at the moment - justifiably - but it's not just their fault. The blame for this lies squarely at the feet of leadership and their reckless rush towards "Time in Office" as a measure of productivity.

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Has anyone heard anything substantial about a return to the hybrid model? As the new leadership from other companies has been coming to AT&T most of them seem against 5 day RTO. I know that my AVP up to my SVP truly don't care for 5 day RTO.

I know many of them have managers who are located in other parts of the world. Do these people have special privileges not to RTO if their manager no concern for them to continue to WFH? Anybody monitoring them?

Anyone else have issues with their pets seeming depressed? Not only is my spouse upset that I'm never home and misses our lunchtime walks and heathy food prepared together, but my cat has acted strange ever since I stopped returning home until the evening. Last year, it was only 3 days in the office and I was typically home in the early afternoon. Now, with full time RTO, he stays in the garage all day, according to my spouse. He always runs to the door when I get home, but then disses me again and goes back to the garage. He used to always hang out in the house with us before this year. It b-ms me out that this has affected him as well.

I am based in Houston and my entire team has been replaced with employees in Buenos Aires and Manila. Does anyone have advice or strategies on maximizing the benefits of in-person collaboration the upcoming RTO changes will offer?

/s

Since it's pretty obvious they want to continue reducing headcount, would they pull the trigger to force returning to the office? I imagine a lot of people would say 'no thanks' and leave, and others would leave simply due to living too far from any office location. It would save them a ton on severance, but would they take the risk of losing people they actually want to keep?

Just got word from my manager. Ekene is going to start tracking us on days we are in office. One of the things I enjoyed about WF was the flexibility. I went my 3 days, sometimes I went 4, sometimes 5 depending on what was going on. Sometimes 8 hrs, sometimes less. Sometimes I'd take a long lunch, sometimes I wouldn't eat lunch. I got my work done and didn't have to be treated like a child.