As managers and workers are returning to the office at many companies, there is a disconnect over the future of remote work.
In a collection of research published in The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts, the attitudes of workers and employers were far from consistent.
“A recent survey of full-time corporate or government employees found that two-thirds say their employers either have not communicated a post-pandemic office strategy or have only vaguely done so,” the report said.
The investigation into workers’ pandemic experiences began in July 2020 as the researchers sought information on employees’ working virtually.
They analyzed a dataset from “a business and technology newsletter attained from surveying its 585,000 active readers.”
A key question was “Has your employer made remote work permanent yet or is it still in the air?”
The disconnect is pretty clear. One worker said his company changed its mind about remote work and demanded employees return once vaccinated.
Remote-work policies, simply, are not being communicated.
One worker reported a manager “wanted butts in seats because we couldn’t be trusted … even though we’d been (working remotely) since last March,” adding: “I’m giving my notice on Monday.”
On the flip side, when companies said they wouldn’t require a return to the office, workers still faulted them.
“We are going hybrid,” one worker wrote. “I personally don’t think the company is doing it for us. … I think they realized how efficient and how much money they are saving.”
Managers love espousing a company’s culture while workers generally resent it. Surveys found workers want remote-work resources, updated policies and more communication from leadership.
As another worker put it, “I can tell you, most people really don’t give 2 flips about ‘company culture’ and think it’s BS.”
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