Not enough office space: safe from RTO?

[Anonymous]

We got rid of some office space during pandemic, remote employees have changed office location, although most remote employees are remote locally. Basically, some employees change teleworking status (before Covid) to remote status, with SF 50 duty station changed too.

There is no funding to get more office space (flat funding, majority of funding goes to employees' salary; while salary/other costs increase annually, there is not even enough money to fill every vacancy).

[Anonymous]

No. one. knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. one. knows.

Thread over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got rid of some office space during pandemic, remote employees have changed office location, although most remote employees are remote locally. Basically, some employees change teleworking status (before Covid) to remote status, with SF 50 duty station changed too.

There is no funding to get more office space (flat funding, majority of funding goes to employees' salary; while salary/other costs increase annually, there is not even enough money to fill every vacancy).

Why people are so concerned about RTO?

[Anonymous]

We are private sector, but they got rid of offices and our desks are lined up in long rows facing each other to fit in the maximum number of desks. We hot desk, so if you get up for a meeting or to get lunch you lose your seat and have to find a new desk. This way far more people can use the office than the number of actual desks.

It can be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got rid of some office space during pandemic, remote employees have changed office location, although most remote employees are remote locally. Basically, some employees change teleworking status (before Covid) to remote status, with SF 50 duty station changed too.

There is no funding to get more office space (flat funding, majority of funding goes to employees' salary; while salary/other costs increase annually, there is not even enough money to fill every vacancy).

Why people are so concerned about RTO?

Lives have been re-arranged around telework (yes, even by/especially by people who are legitimately working the hours they say they are working all the time). Not having those commutes, having the flexibility to start a load of laundry or a crock pot during "lunch," being there for a 5 pm sports practice when before you wouldn't have, being able to be at home with a tween on a day off while still working, and so much more.

Now imagine undoing all that re-arranging.

[Anonymous]

No one knows. You just have to wait to find out.

[Anonymous]

My team had one third of desks/space but still did RTO.
I quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are private sector, but they got rid of offices and our desks are lined up in long rows facing each other to fit in the maximum number of desks. We hot desk, so if you get up for a meeting or to get lunch you lose your seat and have to find a new desk. This way far more people can use the office than the number of actual desks.

It can be done.

This. Private sector. If you can't get one of the desks in the long line with 1 or 2 monitors you have to float around and just hopefully find an outlet in a common space with chairs and couches that are great for lounging but awkward as hell with a laptop.
People tend to grab a desk and their stuff claims it all day. I'm not sure how your office can claim something if the person leaves to go to a meeting. Is there an unwritten rule that only physically being there claims the spot? What about the restroom?

[Anonymous]

The whole idea is the new level of office space is sufficient for the number of employees management wants. So when people quit during RTO or get terminated, the space will be right-sized for the people remaining.

[Anonymous]

I imagine ten people to a conference room. Jo work will get done, but that’s not what RTO is about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are private sector, but they got rid of offices and our desks are lined up in long rows facing each other to fit in the maximum number of desks. We hot desk, so if you get up for a meeting or to get lunch you lose your seat and have to find a new desk. This way far more people can use the office than the number of actual desks.

It can be done.

This. Private sector. If you can't get one of the desks in the long line with 1 or 2 monitors you have to float around and just hopefully find an outlet in a common space with chairs and couches that are great for lounging but awkward as hell with a laptop.
People tend to grab a desk and their stuff claims it all day. I'm not sure how your office can claim something if the person leaves to go to a meeting. Is there an unwritten rule that only physically being there claims the spot? What about the restroom?

There's a written rule that you aren't allowed to "camp" at a desk by leaving your belongings. If you're going to be gone for more than 5 minutes you need to bring your things. This isn't as strict when the office isn't full, like this week with lots of people on leave, but is enforced when the office is full.

[Anonymous]

If I was local remote - I would just go in and sit where they put me. I am non-local remote so its not that easy. There really are no answers right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are private sector, but they got rid of offices and our desks are lined up in long rows facing each other to fit in the maximum number of desks. We hot desk, so if you get up for a meeting or to get lunch you lose your seat and have to find a new desk. This way far more people can use the office than the number of actual desks.

It can be done.

This. Private sector. If you can't get one of the desks in the long line with 1 or 2 monitors you have to float around and just hopefully find an outlet in a common space with chairs and couches that are great for lounging but awkward as hell with a laptop.
People tend to grab a desk and their stuff claims it all day. I'm not sure how your office can claim something if the person leaves to go to a meeting. Is there an unwritten rule that only physically being there claims the spot? What about the restroom?

There's a written rule that you aren't allowed to "camp" at a desk by leaving your belongings. If you're going to be gone for more than 5 minutes you need to bring your things. This isn't as strict when the office isn't full, like this week with lots of people on leave, but is enforced when the office is full.

That's a good rule. Like what they do at ski areas. How do they enforce? Ours is less strict and we have lockers (in theory-- there aren't enough lockers so I don't actually have one). And we have lots of cholorx wipes so everyone is always wiping down spaces because quite frankly the whole sitch incubates disease and bad will...

[Anonymous]

What kind of work do people do where you can concentrate with many, many people around you speaking all of the time? A call center? This can't be anything that involves any sort of mental concentration.