Offices have remained relatively empty for the last few years following the pandemic. In fact, office occupancy rates remain around just 50% in 10 major U.S. cities. This not only hurts the books in terms of paying for unused space but also around overall productivity, according to a growing number of leaders today.
These leaders claim that when employees are present in the office, collaboration and innovation thrive compared to working from home. However, this isn’t reciprocated by everyone, as many feel they can produce the same results outside of the traditional office.
Why it matters: Irrespective of conflicting opinions, companies are proceeding full speed ahead with return-to-office mandates. Furthermore, many have made it clear that workers may face disciplinary action or possibly be let go if they don’t comply and make it back into the office at least three days per week. Techniques vary from company to company, with some opting for softer approaches to the issue. One thing is clear though: changes are well underway across the board.
- Roblox CEO David Baszucki recently said that employees must start coming into the office from Tuesday to Thursday by January. Those who decide otherwise will have to take a severance package and find work elsewhere. Google, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, and Meta have also implemented three-day in-office workweeks within the last year.
- Tracking mechanisms for employee attendance are being rolled out with various companies. One of these methods involves tracking badge swipes to gain a better understanding of which employees are reluctant to return.
- In July, Amazon told workers that they would likely have to relocate to some of their larger offices in San Francisco and Seattle. The company has since doubled down in granting managers new authority, allowing them to fire employees who refuse to come into the office three days per week.
Go Deeper —> Come in Three Days or Just Quit: Some Companies Give Remote Workers an Ultimatum
