What is the Republicans' whole "return to office" obsession?

[Anonymous]

I’m a big harris supporter and I agree that feds should RTO. It’s a privilege to work for government, and the local DC economy needs it. Don’t like it? Go somewhere else. And it will make traffic a pain, but it’s hard to take DOJ lawyers seriously when their kids’ bedroom furniture is behind them on a call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The boost to the economy, think of it. Gasoline, lunch, metro fares, taxes collected the social aspect of being together.

You missed office rents. That’s what’s behind all of this. Trump himself and many of his billionaire backers own tons of commercial space that’s empty.

Always a grift with the GOP...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shedding real estate leases is a major economic uplift to most companies. That most employers would rather keep paying office rent and RTO means they are doing the math and concluding the lost productivity is not worth the office space savings…. In other words, employers are economically incentivized to WFH if it actually works.

FWIW, I know of a small number of otherwise true believer Feds in the more prestigious agencies abusing WFH really badly. Like dance classes and workouts and boozy lunches during working hours three or four days a week.

To be fair, my father worked in the federal gov in the 70s and talked about how at office parties they would wheel around a liquor cart. And I think a few boozy lunches were had in our fair city in those days. Likely more than in this century.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to blue collar workers who don’t have that option and the GOP is all about stoking division.

America is fighting an online civil war. The GOP has an army of bots and trolls, but the DNC does not.

Whose fault is it that they are blue collar workers?

No one’s fault. Those jobs are needed too. But it’s easy to make them mad at “cushy office workers “

Of course their jobs are needed too. But here's the counter to it:

If they wanna take a shot at dealing with FAR and contracts management, CPIC, auditing FISMA 800-53 controls and all of the other layers of oversight and accountability that many headquarters federal employees constantly have to deal with despite supposedly not being accountable or having oversight, they are more than welcome to give it a shot. My guess is they'd gladly go back to plumbing or working on cars after a few days of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shedding real estate leases is a major economic uplift to most companies. That most employers would rather keep paying office rent and RTO means they are doing the math and concluding the lost productivity is not worth the office space savings…. In other words, employers are economically incentivized to WFH if it actually works.

FWIW, I know of a small number of otherwise true believer Feds in the more prestigious agencies abusing WFH really badly. Like dance classes and workouts and boozy lunches during working hours three or four days a week.

To be fair, my father worked in the federal gov in the 70s and talked about how at office parties they would wheel around a liquor cart. And I think a few boozy lunches were had in our fair city in those days. Likely more than in this century.

I worked in federal government and I worked in private sector for 25 years - there were a lot more drunken office parties and boozy lunches in the private sector.

[Anonymous]

WFH is a concept that needs to end in 2024. FLEXIBLE work should be the thing in 2025. I think hybrid is the way to go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boomers are obsessed with 20th century office culture.

I dunno why boomers think you need to waste 2 hours of uncompensated time going to and from work and everything in between. The world is not capable of progressing until boomers simply die off a lot more.

And the boomerisms of hanging around the water cooler talking about last night's football game or whatever crap. Or having that obnoxious guy in the cube next to you who's constantly on the phone talking loudly and laughing or whatever else to constantly irritate and distract everyone around him. And so on and so on and so on. A lot of time wasted, a lot of distraction being in the office.

Besides, nowadays most meetings are conducted via Teams and Zoom anyhow - even if people are in the office, which additionally eliminates the many lost minutes of walking up and down corridors and stairs, riding elevators, from building to building, and so on.

RTO is pointless from any productivity standpoint whatsoever. And the data from GAO, OMB, and OPM all reinforces that.

RTO is just layer upon layer of boomer dumb and grift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to blue collar workers who don’t have that option and the GOP is all about stoking division.

America is fighting an online civil war. The GOP has an army of bots and trolls, but the DNC does not.

Whose fault is it that they are blue collar workers?

No one’s fault. Those jobs are needed too. But it’s easy to make them mad at “cushy office workers “

Of course their jobs are needed too. But here's the counter to it:

If they wanna take a shot at dealing with FAR and contracts management, CPIC, auditing FISMA 800-53 controls and all of the other layers of oversight and accountability that many headquarters federal employees constantly have to deal with despite supposedly not being accountable or having oversight, they are more than welcome to give it a shot. My guess is they'd gladly go back to plumbing or working on cars after a few days of that.

I’m not sure why you seem to want to argue with me. I never defended the reason, just suggested that that’s the reason the GOP has picked this bone. It’s all about creating more grievances and class tension. WFH is great for businesses and employees. I am all for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WFH is a concept that needs to end in 2024. FLEXIBLE work should be the thing in 2025. I think hybrid is the way to go

I have yet to hear a genuinely reasonable, fact based or credible reason why WFH needs to end. Not from anyone in this thread, not from Joni Ernst, not from the DOGE masters or anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to blue collar workers who don’t have that option and the GOP is all about stoking division.

America is fighting an online civil war. The GOP has an army of bots and trolls, but the DNC does not.

Whose fault is it that they are blue collar workers?

No one’s fault. Those jobs are needed too. But it’s easy to make them mad at “cushy office workers “

Of course their jobs are needed too. But here's the counter to it:

If they wanna take a shot at dealing with FAR and contracts management, CPIC, auditing FISMA 800-53 controls and all of the other layers of oversight and accountability that many headquarters federal employees constantly have to deal with despite supposedly not being accountable or having oversight, they are more than welcome to give it a shot. My guess is they'd gladly go back to plumbing or working on cars after a few days of that.

I’m not sure why you seem to want to argue with me. I never defended the reason, just suggested that that’s the reason the GOP has picked this bone. It’s all about creating more grievances and class tension. WFH is great for businesses and employees. I am all for it.

I was just talking to someone who works in HR... She said RTO has been disastrous for many companies. They often ended up losing a lot of their top talent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shedding real estate leases is a major economic uplift to most companies. That most employers would rather keep paying office rent and RTO means they are doing the math and concluding the lost productivity is not worth the office space savings…. In other words, employers are economically incentivized to WFH if it actually works.

FWIW, I know of a small number of otherwise true believer Feds in the more prestigious agencies abusing WFH really badly. Like dance classes and workouts and boozy lunches during working hours three or four days a week.

To be fair, my father worked in the federal gov in the 70s and talked about how at office parties they would wheel around a liquor cart. And I think a few boozy lunches were had in our fair city in those days. Likely more than in this century.

Omg what agency? The FTC in 2008 still had a booze cart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to blue collar workers who don’t have that option and the GOP is all about stoking division.

America is fighting an online civil war. The GOP has an army of bots and trolls, but the DNC does not.

Whose fault is it that they are blue collar workers?

No one’s fault. Those jobs are needed too. But it’s easy to make them mad at “cushy office workers “

Of course their jobs are needed too. But here's the counter to it:

If they wanna take a shot at dealing with FAR and contracts management, CPIC, auditing FISMA 800-53 controls and all of the other layers of oversight and accountability that many headquarters federal employees constantly have to deal with despite supposedly not being accountable or having oversight, they are more than welcome to give it a shot. My guess is they'd gladly go back to plumbing or working on cars after a few days of that.

I’m not sure why you seem to want to argue with me. I never defended the reason, just suggested that that’s the reason the GOP has picked this bone. It’s all about creating more grievances and class tension. WFH is great for businesses and employees. I am all for it.

I was just talking to someone who works in HR... She said RTO has been disastrous for many companies. They often ended up losing a lot of their top talent.

Exactly. And businesses that WFH can hire the best from anywhere in the country.

[Anonymous]

We're both feds and my spouse (WFH) works harder than me (100% at the office).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boomers are obsessed with 20th century office culture.

I dunno why boomers think you need to waste 2 hours of uncompensated time going to and from work and everything in between. The world is not capable of progressing until boomers simply die off a lot more.

THIS. This is it.

Also, Congress is in person. And they can't imagine anyone doing things differently and being effective.

Bottom line, like a lot of other things right now, this about feelings and vibes.

Yes, that’s because science and facts are all lies now. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to blue collar workers who don’t have that option and the GOP is all about stoking division.

America is fighting an online civil war. The GOP has an army of bots and trolls, but the DNC does not.

Oh, hon. Bless your heart.