Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: hotel, home, live)

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I would think that companies who are paying a lot for their space will want employees back.

We are literally about to begin converting former corporate office/cube space into lab space. The decision was made after seeing our company performance last year and deciding that rather than expanding the building or buying additional space, we would just convert those who are WFH over to permanent WFH and turn their cube area into labs.

Everyone else required to come in will be hybrid, and those that are WFH will able to reserve an office for a day if then need to come in for sales meetings and such.

Looks like myself will be on a 2-3 day per week schedule, in which I pick my days as needed. I'm completely on board with this and think my work-life happiness has improved tremendously in the last year due to this schedule. I have one employee who hasn't been in the office since March, and she is 100% fine with it being permanent.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by msRB311

My dept is in the process of deciding whether to not return and many others are deciding as well. I mean that has been discussed by many companies since the summer. Surprised you assume that things will go back to normal.

Let's start the latest cultural revolution by not referring to 5 days a week in the office as 'normal.'

[BostonMike7]

I think once office policies are in place toward the end of 2021 or in 2022 and beyond, you might see some rearranging of the work force talent as they seek out the policies that most appeal to them. I'm sure there are some people who want to be in office, and others who have no desire to return ever again. It all depends on company culture, and needs of the company.

I guess I'm high enough the manager totem pole to be privy to a few discussions surrounding the future of WFH at my company. I know within my company, there are some things that are considered "benefits" that are part of a compensation package. For instance, our flex-time policy for vacation leave and flex daily schedule are considered benefits meant to attract and retain talent. HR has deemed that to be competitive with peers in our industry (and region), we need to offer this otherwise we may lose talent to those that do offer it.

WFH and hybrid policies have begun to be seen as part of that compensation package within my company, and that to retain talent, we must offer it. Part of this stems from the fact that we've had a record year, with a record bonus payout and met a number of goals that were set in place pre-pandemic. Our company was still able to grow and be effective, and through various surveys sent out, the majority of people responded that they prefer a permanent WFH or Hybrid policy in place.

There was also a number of areas where the company managed to save a lot of money the past year by not having as many people in office. Reduced office supplies, reduced wear and tear on the building, reduced travel costs for training, reduced business expenses on recreation, reduced customer and vendor visits and lunches/dinners, etc. Now, some of this will come back as necessary, but if there are more people remote, then these expenses will be much lower than in past.

Also, as I said previously, former corporate office areas are now currently being turned into lab/manufacturing floor space and the number of in-office cubes is being shrunk down. We are open to renting corporate office space in nearby buildings in the future if ever needed, but for now, the business decision was made to convert office space to expanded production/lab space.

I'm sure its going to take a few years of things "settling" into place to see exactly what the new normal is. I'm sure it won't be the same for every industry as there are a number of jobs/careers out there that are difficult to do remote or with a fully remote work force. It's going to be industry specific.

Looking even further down the road, I can see a bigger shake-up if companies begin to hire people outside of the geographic area they are based in. Again, I feel this is a bit industry specific, as it might be easier for a Boston based insurance company to hire an insurance salesman from Alabama, than it would for a high-tech Boston startup to located a scientist with specific experience in Alabama. I feel like a change on that scale might be a bit more long term than what happens in the next 1-3 years.

[msRB311]

We already have hired a few people who live out of state during this WFH period. They obviously won't be expected to come in. There are also a few folks who moved out of state. I think it starts to become a fairness thing and people being treated equally. If certain people are not coming into the office and others don't want to they will use that.

I also agree that there will be people who want to go into the office. It's going to be interesting.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I've already seen people say they will look for another job that is a wfh job if they are forced to return to the office.

I think you're projecting.

[msRB311]

I'm not the one who started the conversation of companies returning to the office in June. That seems like projection.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I'm not the one who started the conversation of companies returning to the office in June. That seems like projection.

Who said that? Irfox said "revert to normal" in June. To me, that meant eat in a restaurant or a pizza at the bar.


I'm kind of wondering when I'll be able to fly to Canada or London without a quarantine. We deferred three trips in 2020. I don't have a good sense for if any of that will be possible in 2021. Maybe with a vaccine passport.

[htfdcolt]

I must be in the absolute minority then. Despite rating as an introvert, I've been loathing this WFH stretch. It's like there's no defined beginning/end to my day, there's no spontaneous conversations anymore to get information, and people look at any blank spot on your calendar as fair game to schedule something (lunch hour? what's that?).

Any business that's making widgets, vs. providing a service or information, is kidding itself if it thinks it can continue this WFH thing forever and not suffer productivity loss and/or outright attrition.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Who said that? Irfox said "revert to normal" in June. To me, that meant eat in a restaurant or a pizza at the bar.


I'm kind of wondering when I'll be able to fly to Canada or London without a quarantine. We deferred three trips in 2020. I don't have a good sense for if any of that will be possible in 2021. Maybe with a vaccine passport.

Yup. And later I was referring specifically to my employer. Obviously each industry/employer/division is going to handle the transition (if there is one) in a way that works for them.

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Who said that? Irfox said "revert to normal" in June. To me, that meant eat in a restaurant or a pizza at the bar.

I think you will be able to get the vaccine by June. Then it becomes an issue of how quickly employers move on it. If you're an employer that loves grads you will want to be 100% back by June because you don't want the grads remote. Lets just say End of Summer to be safe.

Northeastern I'm sure is marketing that they will be 100% in person without willing to commit to it but given how far hospitalizations are falling even really without the vaccine it doesn't sound as crazy as it was last year.