Fidelity Ends Hybrid Work, Requires US Staff in Office Five Days a Week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our company allows M and F telework and Tuesday -Thursday at work. They probably should change that. People start up slowly on a Monday and leave early on Fridays. The company is not getting an honest 40 hours. It’s obvious.

I'm as pro-remote as it gets but agree. Allowing M/F telework reinforces the idea that telework means not working and that this is allowing you to take extra long weekends. In a hybrid environment, it would be better to allow midweek telework and make people use leave on M/F (with some possible exceptions like a documented medical appointment where they make up the hours).

[Anonymous]

Fannie/Freddie pre 2020 had it M-T in person and Friday you can "work from home" in reality everyone got there work for week done by Thursday and it was a 3 day weekend every weekend.

I lived very close to office and had kids at home and I would come in nearly every Friday anyhow. My dept of 800 people we had between 1-3 show up. I usually leave around 3pm for day.

I think it was better. We kinda just busted our butts and Fridays we had a rule no meetings allowed. It was like you did not even email requests out. My Boss lived in Philly and he go home every Thursday evening and he would not arrive till around 11 am on Monday. He never relocated as what was point. He was only here 3 nights a week and had between vacation, holidays, almost 8 weeks vacation.

My favorite in summer people used to take 4 days vacation m-t and then log on F from beach house check email for 30 minutes and call it a day.

In reality they were paying for 40 hours work and getting 32 hours work. Even on my Firdays in office, I did all busy work as could not do real work as no one there. And I had a stafff of 13.

no suprise they are back in the office full time now. from 2020 to 2025 they were doing near zero work for 5 years with all six figure plus salaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Fed who has been back 5 days for past 14 months, I have no sympathy. Remote and hybrid work are being phased out.

That's pretty short sighted. A fed might care because (1) private industry standards can set precedent and policies can change with new administrations and (2) industry decision making impacts more than where a worker sits.

I am this PP. Your comment doesn’t make sense because a new admin could change the current anti-remote work policy. But it’s speculative and private industry didn’t set tone for prior federal telework/remote work policies-the federal unions fought for this.

Second, no one in private industry came to our aid when we were being massacred last year. So I have no sympathy. Too bad so sad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a Fed who has been back 5 days for past 14 months, I have no sympathy. Remote and hybrid work are being phased out.

That's not even true. I know multiple people in different companies that are still doing remote or hybrid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also a fed who is back in 5 days a week with no leniency for sick days. It was horrendous at first but now it’s fine. We’ve all started making work friends again, collaborating more, eating lunch together, in person meetings are way better than teams meetings. I think most of us wish we were 50% telework (or even one day a week!) but it’s been okay. I’m surprised I’m even saying this

Maybe that depends on your commute? Most of my federal office has between 30-60 minutes each way, sometimes more. No one is fine with it. We just deal and make the best of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our company allows M and F telework and Tuesday -Thursday at work. They probably should change that. People start up slowly on a Monday and leave early on Fridays. The company is not getting an honest 40 hours. It’s obvious.

I'm as pro-remote as it gets but agree. Allowing M/F telework reinforces the idea that telework means not working and that this is allowing you to take extra long weekends. In a hybrid environment, it would be better to allow midweek telework and make people use leave on M/F (with some possible exceptions like a documented medical appointment where they make up the hours).

People can goof off in the office and at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our company allows M and F telework and Tuesday -Thursday at work. They probably should change that. People start up slowly on a Monday and leave early on Fridays. The company is not getting an honest 40 hours. It’s obvious.

I'm as pro-remote as it gets but agree. Allowing M/F telework reinforces the idea that telework means not working and that this is allowing you to take extra long weekends. In a hybrid environment, it would be better to allow midweek telework and make people use leave on M/F (with some possible exceptions like a documented medical appointment where they make up the hours).

People can goof off in the office and at home.

PP. Agree. I have seen people goof off in all kinds of crazy ways at the office, including working other jobs (remote and in person!) during their government hours. Still I think the M/F WFH thing is tacitly implying work-from-home is not real work, but it doesn't have to be. For a responsible person, it is the same whether they are in the office or not.

[Anonymous]

Have been back full time since last March. It sucks. It sucks more now than it ever has. Whoever is saying it is “fine” has a real Stockholm syndrome.
Most folks have their doors closed and lights turned off. “In-person” meetings are still on Teams. People are miserable (other than the current admin idiots). It won’t get “better.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Fed who has been back 5 days for past 14 months, I have no sympathy. Remote and hybrid work are being phased out.

That's pretty short sighted. A fed might care because (1) private industry standards can set precedent and policies can change with new administrations and (2) industry decision making impacts more than where a worker sits.

I am this PP. Your comment doesn’t make sense because a new admin could change the current anti-remote work policy. But it’s speculative and private industry didn’t set tone for prior federal telework/remote work policies-the federal unions fought for this.

Second, no one in private industry came to our aid when we were being massacred last year. So I have no sympathy. Too bad so sad!

I am the person who made the comment and was fed and did go back 5 days a week and then was RIFed. I don't think you or private industry came to my aid .. so too bad so sad you are stuck in office???? What a weirdo. Enjoy it I guess and don't advocate for better policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Fed who has been back 5 days for past 14 months, I have no sympathy. Remote and hybrid work are being phased out.

That's pretty short sighted. A fed might care because (1) private industry standards can set precedent and policies can change with new administrations and (2) industry decision making impacts more than where a worker sits.

I am this PP. Your comment doesn’t make sense because a new admin could change the current anti-remote work policy. But it’s speculative and private industry didn’t set tone for prior federal telework/remote work policies-the federal unions fought for this.

Second, no one in private industry came to our aid when we were being massacred last year. So I have no sympathy. Too bad so sad!

NP. Bitter people who want to bathe in their misery don’t have great ideas and get ignored.

[Anonymous]

here is difference when people goof off in office if you need them they are avaiable,

[Anonymous]

My spouse is back in office 5 days a week and likes it. Just was not as productive as in the office and has lots of friends at work, it is easier to collaborate and get things done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:here is difference when people goof off in office if you need them they are avaiable,

No, they’re off getting BS coffees and wandering the halls looking for people to talk to.

Meanwhile, you can easily get ahold of people at home if you’re not a Boomer incapable of using Teams. But this seems to stymie more managers than they are ever willing to admit.

[Anonymous]

I'm in office three days a week. I think it's the best option - lots of in person time T-R and people still get telework. I agree with the person who also said people are willing to commute longer for three days vs. five days and not burn out. Most people will accept five days a week in-person with the economy unless they're clueless but the people with options will leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stealth layoffs. They are hoping for attrition.

This. Companies discovered it’s a way downsize without paying unemployment and healthcare. Put the decision to leave in the employees’ hands.