I do think office culture suffered during remote work and telework. But most of that is because of the government. My friends with remote work jobs still have off sites, in person meetings occasionally, holiday parties, team building. Fed gov can’t do any of that because they’re cheap AF. We used to have a potluck in our break room that still cost $5 to attend and had to be during your own lunch hour. (Bring a dish, cost $5, have to stay later at work to make up hours).

And when employees misbehaved, HR would tell managers “oh well! Try to make them work harder.”

I personally thought 50% in office (or 2 days in office, 3 days telework) worked out really well. We have quantitative numbers and that was when our work product was the highest. Currently we’ve lost so many staff members and my case load is through the roof. We can barely surface touch the amount of work I have because there’s just too much of it. When we can’t focus on discrete tasks (because we have 100 of them instead of 20), we can’t get the work done. I’ve asked management what I should do and what prioritize but they won’t let us prioritize anything. We’re supposed to still get it all done. Even working extra hours doesn’t make a dent in any of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The traffic; the schedule; the hardship on my family (my kids!!). This is just awful.

How can trump do this to us?? I mean, just WHY??!?

I worked in an office for 40 years and raised children.

Why can’t you do that?

Your nanny or babysitter did and 40 years ago child care was much more affortable.

Excuses, excuses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

Where’s your dedication to work? This is why we are in this situation. Employees became side-tracked by home life. Workers on treadmills during Zoom calls. Employees emptying the dryer while their camera was off. Employees walking their dogs 3-4 times a day during working hours. Workers knocking off early to pickup the kids and help with homework. Etc.

This is such a washed up cliche. The rto had nothing to do w making people more effective and was to get people to quit. The fights are whether or not people work more one place or another are a red herring. My team litigated a case at home. I promise you no one was on the treadmill or whatever given we barely had time to sleep.

Layoff are coming for many. Be careful.

40 years ago kids were left with a nanny or became feral latch key kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The traffic; the schedule; the hardship on my family (my kids!!). This is just awful.

How can trump do this to us?? I mean, just WHY??!?

I worked in an office for 40 years and raised children.

Why can’t you do that?

Your nanny or babysitter did and 40 years ago child care was much more affortable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

Where’s your dedication to work? This is why we are in this situation. Employees became side-tracked by home life. Workers on treadmills during Zoom calls. Employees emptying the dryer while their camera was off. Employees walking their dogs 3-4 times a day during working hours. Workers knocking off early to pickup the kids and help with homework. Etc.

People come in early, leave late all the time. They go for 2-3 hour lunches, socialize with co-workers. My spouse was WFH. He never did laundry, treadmill or many other things. He also took very early morning calls and late night which he now refuses. He does walk the dog but you are entitled breaks, including lunch. They are still mostly on zoom.

Anonymous wrote:The traffic; the schedule; the hardship on my family (my kids!!). This is just awful.

How can trump do this to us?? I mean, just WHY??!?

I worked in an office for 40 years and raised children.

Why can’t you do that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

Where’s your dedication to work? This is why we are in this situation. Employees became side-tracked by home life. Workers on treadmills during Zoom calls. Employees emptying the dryer while their camera was off. Employees walking their dogs 3-4 times a day during working hours. Workers knocking off early to pickup the kids and help with homework. Etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

What does any of that have to do with work?

Workers are humans. They have lives and families.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

it just means you need to open up your own business, run your own hours, pay your own salary and benefits....open when you want to so you can do those other things.

you can still have the situation you want; you just got to become your own boss.

It didn’t work out well en masse. If it had, it would be continuing. But, departments found their productivity slip, accountability was not there, employees were cheating the time and running errands and personal chores and did not honestly make up all the hours. Work was not getting done. Office cultures were shattered. Employees were not available when they should have been. More accountability was needed. Now after 5 years of complacency with WFH and screwing around on the job, a RTO was made to try to make employees more accountable and productivity go up. We had a nice vacation for 5 years and now we are back to work.

1. Where is the data that is supporting what you are saying? I am aware of data to the contrary.
2. However, I agree that, for a very small subset of employees, they did not work as hard as they should have at home. Why isn't the answer to discipline or get rid of that small subset of people (at my agency, I would say less than 10 percent).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

What does any of that have to do with work?

Anonymous wrote:What did you do pre 2020? People commuted to the office every day. Kids went to daycare. Parents came home, made dinner, helped with homework. It’s life.

Just because we did it, did not mean it was good.

Sure I did it in 2019. But my oldest did not have help with homework, I never worked out, my car was a mess, and so on.

WFH a decade later means I see my children, especially my youngest who is 10 years younger, and work out daily, save on gas.

But sure - let’s go back to misery just because we did it before.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Boo hoo. Unless you were hired as 100% remote, you’ve had it good for 5 yrs. More than enough time. Now get back to your job.

Even if you weren't hired remote, why do you think it needs to go backwards? More than enough time to see that it's worked out well.

It didn’t work out well en masse. If it had, it would be continuing. But, departments found their productivity slip, accountability was not there, employees were cheating the time and running errands and personal chores and did not honestly make up all the hours. Work was not getting done. Office cultures were shattered. Employees were not available when they should have been. More accountability was needed. Now after 5 years of complacency with WFH and screwing around on the job, a RTO was made to try to make employees more accountable and productivity go up. We had a nice vacation for 5 years and now we are back to work.

Which agency are you referencing?