Return to Office

[KingdomFlatbush]

Five years

Five years waking up 10 minutes before my first meeting then going back to sleep after

Five years of the mute/camera off combo putting up Kobe/Shaq numbers

Five years of just getting on a plane and going to a different state or even country while technically "on the clock"

Five years of assuring the boss the project was on schedule while on the couch playing playstation

My first "back to office" job in five whole years fam. How did we do this **** before?

WHY did we do this **** before?

Can't complain too hard about getting paid but...I feel like there's something sinister about the big push for RTO.

 

[TSCQ]

within those five years why didn’t you just start your own business?

 

[KingdomFlatbush]

within those five years why didn’t you just start your own business?

Because I was chillin big bro

 

[DCAllAfrican]

The whole push seems petty man. Really.feel for yall that had to go back in the office.

I wonder if the next administration will revert back to letting folks work from home.

 

[waukeganwill]

Ive been desperately looking for a fully remote job for the past 6 months and it feels like that well has completely dried up smh

 

[Beruseruku Desu]

you're confessing that you haven't been working on company time and you're wondering why their bringing back RTO?

everyone (esp the wannabe tech influencers) flexing during the covid era of WFH but in reality they were doing non work related stuff ruined it for everyone else.

companies saw social media and saw everyone going on trips and **** on company time so they brought back RTO.

 

[willypete]

everyone (esp the wannabe tech influencers) flexing during the covid era of WFH but in reality they were doing non work related stuff ruined it for everyone else.

.

This!

It was almost like clockwork seeing people brag about being on vacation while “working” anywhere on social media during the pandy.

Between that and the ones flexing about all the additional remote jobs they were working simultaneously.

 

[cubanref]

What's the issue if the work is getting done though? Are you being paid extra to be in the office or are you being paid to get the job done?

 

[superblytrife]

Yeah if I’m an employer and I see my employees getting their work done AND living life, why would I be mad? If the job is done and done well, what’s the issue? Happy employees should translate to more productive employees, no?

Everyone knows that almost nobody works a full 8 hours. Hell, when I worked an office job I only really worked 2-3 hours a day. And that was IN the office.

RTO isn’t about the work. It’s about control. And justifying budgets for unnecessary management personnel, and work spaces that cost a small fortune to keep up and running. It’s basically hustling backwards in 2025.

 

[willypete]

I had an issue with everyone broadcasting it mainly.

But agree it’s def about control with returning to the office

 

[mr z]

Of course it's about control. So tired of this woke bs. Don't want to be controlled...start your own business.

 

[superblytrife]

Imagine using “woke” in 2025. You gotta catch up big dog—that’s so 2024.

 

[TSCQ]

This!

It was almost like clockwork seeing people brag about being on vacation while “working” anywhere on social media during the pandy.

Between that and the ones flexing about all the additional remote jobs they were working simultaneously.

I remember the 4hr work week book a roommate shared with, he truly believed he could achieve that back then, but in reality it was impossible because it only applied to wealthy individuals who come from privileged backgrounds.

 

[cosmiccoffee9]

What's the issue if the work is getting done though? Are you being paid extra to be in the office or are you being paid to get the job done?

you're being paid less to be in the office unless gas and transit got free.

also definitely pack lunch.

...and hey, who needs 2-3 extra hours a day to themselves when you could be sitting in traffic?

so what your boss' boss works from a golf course, your job is to HOLD DOWN THIS CHAIR

 

[KingdomFlatbush]

you're confessing that you haven't been working on company time and you're wondering why their bringing back RTO?

everyone (esp the wannabe tech influencers) flexing during the covid era of WFH but in reality they were doing non work related stuff ruined it for everyone else.

companies saw social media and saw everyone going on trips and **** on company time so they brought back RTO.

 

[Beruseruku Desu]

lol that’s why yo *** going back to the office while I’m in my bed napping

 

[tr1ll]

I never had any desire to work from home. I volunteered to say in the office during the pandemic.

 

[Beruseruku Desu]

Yeah if I’m an employer and I see my employees getting their work done AND living life, why would I be mad? If the job is done and done well, what’s the issue? Happy employees should translate to more productive employees, no?

Everyone knows that almost nobody works a full 8 hours. Hell, when I worked an office job I only really worked 2-3 hours a day. And that was IN the office.

RTO isn’t about the work. It’s about control. And justifying budgets for unnecessary management personnel, and work spaces that cost a small fortune to keep up and running. It’s basically hustling backwards in 2025.

If you were a business owner, would you pay someone 8 hours of work if they only worked 2-3 hours?

 

[superblytrife]

If you were a business owner, would you pay someone 8 hours of work if they only worked 2-3 hours?

They already do precisely that for in-office workers--they just don't know it.

Why do people pretend like if you're in a building that you're actually being productive? Between emails, meetings and co-workers in your space, it's hard to be efficient and productive. My wife goes in early to get work done because of all the distractions once everyone else gets there. She literally gets more done in those 2 hours of quiet than the rest of her day.

Working in an office doesn't equate to getting **** done.

 

[Present]

Child Care,
Restaurants,
Parking Lots,
Commuter Trains,
HOV Lanes,
Police (traffic/parking tickets)
Mechanics,
Gas Stations,
Car Insurance Companies,
Dry Cleaners,
Office Attire,
Business/commercial real estate,
Middle Managers,
Corporate profits,
Tax Revenue
Etc., Etc.

Return to office:

Think of it as work tax. The average American household was able to record record savings by teleworking.

"By now, you likely know what the return to office has cost you in terms of time — more spent in the car and less with family, perhaps. But do you know what it costs in terms of cold, hard cash? According to a BetterUp survey, American workers who've been required to return to the office spent an extra $561 a month doing so. The combined costs of transportation, child and pet care, and "domestic assistance" add up to about as much as the average two-person household's monthly grocery bill."

It was never about the work or the job.

It was always about the money.

The only reason government agencies forced employees back to work is that lobbyists have influenced the ears of elected officials.

The only reason private companies forced employees back to work is to encourage people to quit, which lowers labor costs and boosts profits on the balance sheet.

If you think for one second that this was about productivity, bless your heart.

 

[Comparison Ford]

Every one of my friends that were able to WFH tried to play the “I’m more productive than when I’m in the office” card when their jobs started fielding the idea of RTO. In reality they would “clock in” early, answer an email, go back to sleep, and then spend the majority of the day at the park or at the beach.

I’m not even against the idea of WFH. I think there are a lot of practical benefits for society from the practice. I just think that argument is total ********.

 

[you go boy]

I go to work everyday so the work from home thing doesn’t really bother me…been doing it since 2020 really…my last job let us work from home once a week and I used that day to interview and look for a new job…I actually liked it there just wanted more money… now my new job since 2022 they let you work from home once a week but my manager wants me in the office everyday to do odd ball projects lol…but if I need to work from home he will let me no problem… had an inspection for 5 minutes at my condo to check if the carbon monoxide alarm worked… didn’t tell my manager it was only for 5 minutes but worked from home that whole day… then on Friday he gave me like 4 watches to get the battery replaced… I wasn’t going to the watch store by me on the weekend cuz I had plans… so I went yesterday and said it opens a 9:30 mind you I start at 9am and it took an hour to do all the watches… got to the office around 11am…then a few weeks before that he had me take him to the dealership to pick up his car from getting serviced… my manager is always leaving the office on company time and takes me with him lol…one time he got custom insoles for his sneakers for badminton and ended up getting new sneakers too… the place was like 45 minutes away and we were gone for like an hour plus….so it was like 3 hours not at work once we came back…even when I am in the office I finish my work asap then just chill on the internet… when my manager is on vacation I will take like an hour ½ lunch or longer… not only that I don’t mind being at work because I can use the bathroom as much as I want, wash my dishes and not use my own soap and water for that stuff and the AC is free…

 

[Comparison Ford]

I don’t mind being at work because I can use the bathroom as much as I want, wash my dishes and not use my own soap and water for that stuff and the AC is free…

Overlooked benefit.

Those supplies aren’t gonna steal themselves.

 

[clyde the glide]

They already do precisely that for in-office workers--they just don't know it.

Why do people pretend like if you're in a building that you're actually being productive? Between emails, meetings and co-workers in your space, it's hard to be efficient and productive. My wife goes in early to get work done because of all the distractions once everyone else gets there. She literally gets more done in those 2 hours of quiet than the rest of her day.

Working in an office doesn't equate to getting **** done.

Doesn't this point to a bigger issue tho? One we all don't want to admit? There's a lot of pointless desk jobs where 3 or more peoples duties could be consolidated and done by 1 person. I remember working in a bank I had about 12 hours worth of work I had to stretch out over a month. Sometimes I miss the easiness but at the end of the day I'm glad I left. As a man I need to get things done I can't work 3 days and spend the other 27 bsing and caring about who's brining bagels on Friday.

We take the privilege for granted at times

 

[tr1ll]

Doesn't this point to a bigger issue tho? One we all don't want to admit? There's a lot of pointless desk jobs where 3 or more peoples duties could be consolidated and done by 1 person. I remember working in a bank I had about 12 hours worth of work I had to stretch out over a month. Sometimes I miss the easiness but at the end of the day I'm glad I left. As a man I need to get things done I can't work 3 days and spend the other 27 bsing and caring about who's brining bagels on Friday.

We take the privilege for granted at times

You dont have to go to work to "get things done" b