I've always been skeptical of the entire RTO storyline. I literally work on a computer all day with an Internet connection and can complete every aspect of my job remotely, no if, ands, or buts, about it. Also, at this point many are tracking our mouse movements and key strokes, and the work gets done, so they know we're working too
I'm used to the short sided mindset at this point, but the situation just got me thinking about it again.
Meanwhile, companies are throwing everything at AI (which works remotely), laying off employees to do so, and then having obsurd in office policies and skimping on benefits. Just makes you wonder why they distrust people so much.
And something it is pure bureaucracy. I once worked for a bank, as a contractor. A team in the bank responsible for the auditing ask my manager in the bank, how can he be sure that I worked today, and for the money spent I actually do something meaningful. He had no written prove that I was at work. Yes, I push every day, yes, I am on the daily meeting with my team everyday, but no official document that a non-technical auditing team can understand.
The solution?! The most ridiculous solution ever! Every morning I was writing a letter to a secretary, and she was adding a check in an excel sheet. And this was the official document!
All happy, except me, because, I guess I was the only one thinking that this does not prove anything.
And another example, from 15 years ago. I was, again a contractor, but this time in an office. They were checking when I check in for work and when I check out. And one day they saw that I worked 7 hours and 45 minutes, instead of 8 hours, and they did not want to pay those 15 minutes. Again I can literally, go in the office, stay there 8 hours, walk the stairs all day, and do nothing.... ;) Of course I am not that kind of professional, but the point is that, sometimes, the management request does not make sense and create more burden and pressure, rather than solutions ;)
Now it is the same as the remote work. I can be at the office whole day, being seen, and at the some time I can do nothing :D
The trust is broken and even though there are plenty of great wfh people, employers wre not having it anymore.
In an office, “being there” becomes a proxy for productivity, even if it’s not accurate.
Once you remove that, the gap becomes very visible, and instead of fixing measurement, a lot of companies just revert back to what they’re used to.
So it ends up looking like a remote work problem, but it’s really a management/measurement problem.
If you are a remote work company and hire someone who is not passionate about what they do, they will, for certain, take advantage. And why wouldn't they? So it is easier to just lean on the side of caution, especially if the management chain isn't entirely on top of things (which is common, because everyone is busy).
You're assuming they don't trust remote employees? They may just not want remote employees.
It's a perfectly valid stance for a company to say, "You know what, remote work just isn't for us." They don't need to justify it any more than you need to justify your preference for remote work.
It's not right or wrong, it's just a preference.
If the company just wanted to have some job done, be it on site, or especially remotely, they'd use a vendor or contractor. That's what they do for moving the furniture, painting, watering the plants, payroll, advertising, legal, auditing, etc.
An employee is someone who, as well as just doing their job, sporadically does other things like maintaining relationships, product ideas, interviewing candidates, training new hires, and whatever other ad-hoc stuff is required to keep a company operational. If you want to be hired as an employee, and potentially get promoted, etc, then doing your actual job is just a bare minimum to not get fired (and maybe not even that, with layoffs being so popular), and an ability to contribute to all the other stuff is what will get you hired and keep you employed.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with being a contractor, or just doing your job / the bare minimum, but companies need employees who can do more to keep existing, and its up to you if you want to be one or not.