DMV Feds only - is your agency still struggling with WFH policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Also, most private sector businesses are back in the office,

Wrong. Office occupancy is less than half of what it was pre-Covid, about 50% or less nationwide.

And federal offices are at 20% occupancy with this one day a week bs, significantly lower than 50% in the private sector.

Have we reached the point in this thread where posters begin making up random numbers to support their claims? The overall federal workforce has been more than 50% RTO for two years already. And it’s about the same as the private sector. Some places are more, some less, depending on their particular kind of work, but your claim that the federal government is “significantly lower” is an utter fabrication.

Cf. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2023/05/dissatisfied-with-opms-data-republicans-ask-individual-agencies-for-telework-details/?readmore=1 or any other source.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not just the downtown restaurants, there are benefits to working in person with coworkers. Also, most private sector businesses are back in the office, this is feeding the stereotype of lazy feds.

I'm sure if we go back to work in person tomorrow, no-one will ever think feds are lazy again. Not the least moved by this argument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Also, most private sector businesses are back in the office,

Wrong. Office occupancy is less than half of what it was pre-Covid, about 50% or less nationwide.

And federal offices are at 20% occupancy with this one day a week bs, significantly lower than 50% in the private sector.

So what? Feds don’t follow privates.

Which is why we have the reputation of being entitled and lazy

Perception management is management into
the ground.

[Anonymous]

To answer OP’s question, my office within my agency isn’t struggling. We are required to come in once weekly, but sometimes staff comes in two or three times a week depending on whether there are meetings with members of the public or other events to attend off campus.

For example, I’ll do a full day in town once a week, but maybe come in for a few hours another day, too, if there’s something going on. A lot of my work depends on networking so I come in as needed. When I’m in, I often work more than 8 hours because I have to go out and socialize or attend functions “after work” etc.

Meetings with colleagues are usually on Teams and more productive since we can more efficiently collaborate on work product with our computers in front of us. The chit chat and socialization comes during days in (which is fine, but is a time suck that should be limited) and we have plenty of social gatherings after work so people tend to want to be in office in those days.

The most irritating thing is trying to account for time and attendance — am I in the office if I’m in town to attend an event? Or is that remote? Am I teleworking a full day at home if I leave home for a few hours to meet a stakeholder for coffee? It’s just accounting not management, so I do my best. Tracking hours for salaried professionals is stupid anyway.

We’ve had maximum flexibility and it works well for our team. It might not work well for every team out there, but most of our work is done independently and the things that require coordination are easily accomplished remotely. I hear we may be required to come in 2x per week and that would probably work for us too.

3x is pushing it given the inefficiencies of time and costs to employees. I know I personally need 2-3 days of quiet focused time every week—in my case, that is best achieved at home, often early in the morning and late at night. Others get that at the office assuming too many people aren’t in at the same time. I also appreciate the flexibility to get in enough daylight and exercise to keep my stress low so I don’t have a health crisis that turns into lots of sick leave—it’s a real concern and managers are underestimating the savings there.

It’s not like we have a ton of wasted space so I don’t think we need to change much. Our offices are tiny boxes and we have no communal space. I think it would be good to repurpose the space into more meeting space and hot desk situations, but there’s a generational divide on that. Some of the older staff really like paper files—bordering on hoarding.

[Anonymous]

We have gone back into the office one day a week. Most people are following through.

On the plus side this has fixed the lack of parking problem my agency in the suburbs was having. And, we don't have people hoteling in cubicles in the hallways any more. Most people shared an office pre pandemic, so now coworkers arrange their days so they are in their shared office by themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have gone back into the office one day a week. Most people are following through.

On the plus side this has fixed the lack of parking problem my agency in the suburbs was having. And, we don't have people hoteling in cubicles in the hallways any more. Most people shared an office pre pandemic, so now coworkers arrange their days so they are in their shared office by themselves.

Can they choose which day they want to come in?

[Anonymous]

They watch Netflix and order takeout so they can eat while watching.
No work is happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They watch Netflix and order takeout so they can eat while watching.
No work is happening.

Who’s that? My BIL in private sector cybersecurity? You’re correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They watch Netflix and order takeout so they can eat while watching.
No work is happening.

Why is it always Netflix? Do feds not have access to other streaming services? Do you think that Netflix is part of the federal benefits package?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still home 5 days per week. My agency got rid of office space and we don’t even have room for everyone to go in anywhere. No indication we’ll be going back.

We’re probably in the same agency. Have only been in twice since 3/2020– to renew creds and to clean out my office space. The lease on our DC area buildings ran out. HQ not DC based or reasonably commutable. There is very limited hoteling downtown if needed and that’s it. Feel pretty safe in 5 days a week telework being permanent because they spent several years trying to move our offices to a new space and got nowhere. Starting from scratch isn’t realistic.

We just started Union negotiations. Looks like the big issue isn’t keeping 5 days a week. It’s whether we are FT telework/ must live in the DMV or become fully remote/ can live anywhere. Come on fully remote!

Fully remote could lose lose DC locality. Unless you’re moving to a more expensive place you’d lose money. So come on pay reduction!

Don't troll. If they are fully remote, their home is their new duty station. If they live in bfe Kentucky, no, they shouldn't get dc locality. But I'd they are still in the DMV, yes they will.

[Anonymous]

Rumor is fdic is going back to 3x a week in office

- xoxo gossip girl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even if we wanted to come into the office, it would take so much human resource time and effort to corral folks into the office. I also think there is a emotional intelligence component that has not been addressed.

We have co workers who spend a ridiculous amount of time talking about their personal lives. I notice this especially with affluent workers of a certain socio-demographic group. They want someone to brag about their value, income, travels etc.

When asked to stick to work conversations, people are offended that they cannot show their social class position and experiences in small talk.

I find people who want to stick to work conversations are Remote nuts who hate RTO who want to get in an out as quick as possible or making some point. They stress me.

I am in person I work my full 8 but in office almost nine hours a day. If I want to get breakfast, chat in coffee room, say hello secretary, ask the IT guy about his weekend I have time. I have a co-worker who is all business and runs out door to the second every day he is stressful. I literally asked him about his weekend on a Monday and looked like his blood was boiling. I never talk about myself much.

This guy is 100 percent against RTO and on a mission to prove being in office has no value. He won’t go company events or anything unless paid and mandatory

lol this is exactly why people don't want to be in the office. stop the meaningless chit-chat. i'm an outgoing person, but enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rumor is fdic is going back to 3x a week in office

- xoxo gossip girl

It’s going to be a big fight with the union.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rumor is fdic is going back to 3x a week in office

- xoxo gossip girl

It’s going to be a big fight with the union.

Arbitrator may cut it down to 2x a week in the office....yayyyy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rumor is fdic is going back to 3x a week in office

- xoxo gossip girl

It’s going to be a big fight with the union.

Arbitrator may cut it down to 2x a week in the office....yayyyy

I heard 5 days a pay period.