[Animals] The perks and incentives coaxing workers back to the office

[FRIDAY THE 13]

 

 

In August, when Zoom ordered its workers back to the office, shock rippled across the internet. The video conference platform, which has now become nearly synonymous with remote work­, seemed to be flying in the face of the very thing they represented. The company now requires employees living within 50mi (80.5km) to work from the office at least twice a week. 

Zoom is just one of the latest businesses to issue an office return ultimatum. Amazon sent a warning email to employees they believed were disobeying its three-days-in-the-office rule. Google released a memo giving managers permission to factor unexcused absences from the office into performance reviews. Advertising network Publicis bluntly told US workers that failure to come into the office three times a week could impact salary increases, bonuses and promotion opportunities.

Many workers who've gotten used to lenient remote work policies are unhappy amid increasing calls for autumn returns. Some companies are digging in their heels, threatening to punish workers who stay at home. Others, however, are taking less hard line approaches, and many say these gentler tactics are working. Managers are taking note.

Listening to workers

Bosses are, by now, no stranger to employee pushback on office returns. James Arnall, marketing director for employee rewards program Perkbox in London, has struggled to get his team of 15 workers across the UK and Australia back to the office.

In November 2021, after a difficult month for sales, Arnall and the other managers in the company decided to enforce more time in the office – four days a week. "We thought we'd always worked better together in person, across the sales, marketing, customer success and revenue teams, because excitement would build up at the end of the month."

 

link : https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230907-the-perks-and-incentives-coaxing-workers-back-to-the-office