In the years since covid, we’ve had a few threads about returning to the office (RTO).
I work in a government office. For the most part, everyone is almost entirely work-at-home. A very few people have to report to the office once a week or once a month. I could work at home nearly 100%, but since I live only 6 minutes away, I go in for parts of 2 days per week to do one specific aspect of my job. (It requires phone calls/meetings, which I do not wish my wife to have to overhear at home.)
Our office used to house 60 or so fulltime employees. Today, in addition to myself, there were 3 employees and a security guard. I realized, not only that it was weird having so few people in such a sizeable space, but that it was weird that working in such a ghost town has almost become normal. As I understand it, there is such a glut of office space in our area, the the landlord happily extended our lease for 10 more years, at a rate that was likely less than any costs of closing/moving/consolidating with another office.
Anyone else similarly reporting to work in a ghost town? Or other aspects of your RTO you wish to comment on?
Our firm has three offices. The “main” one is in Seattle and although the largest, is hardly used. We decided to sublet half to save expenses, which is great. (the subtenants barely use it either).
Our other offices are used a bit more, but probably 40% of pre-covid occupancy on most days.
I work out of a $3.5 billion development that was built to provide government offices. It was designed to house large parts of the state government in a series of 30+ story buildings. Hot desking was required because the office would house so many people. It opened a few weeks before covid hit and was then mostly empty for years. Earlier this year we were directed to be in the office 3 days a week. My team goes in on Monday and Friday and has a “floating” day, which floats away entirely and doesn’t exist. On the days that we do go in our floor is perhaps 10% occupied. I sit at the same two desks every week. On the rare occasion that I have gone in on another day of the week it is much busier though but nothing like full.
I’m thinking that at this point, it would seem quite odd to work in a workplace that was anywhere near capacity. As I near retirement (2 more years!) it is almost hard to recall what the first 35 years were like, and how drastically it changed 5 years ago.
Since the pandemic my company has embraced remote working and sold one of their 4-building campuses then leased back half the space, and another campus they have not renewed the lease on one of the 2 buildings there, giving up about half the space at that site. Other locations are similarly trimmed by not renewing full leases or giving up floor space in high-rises. Still, when I rarely go to either of the local offices they are deserted ghost towns - sad as I recall a vibrant work community with a great company cafe, gym, and seasonal company-sponsored activities. All of that is in the rear view now. It’s a shame the amount of energy being consumed to keep these empty cubicle farms lit and climate controlled.
My son works for a company with a local office and they are required to be there 4 days a week, altho he usually leaves there by mid-afternoon along with everyone else. This arrangement seems to be the exception these days.
Our office wanted to go back to 3 in-office days per week, but there aren’t enough desks for that (after they downsized during the pandemic) so we do 2 or 3 days on alternating weeks. I come in on Mondays and the office is definitely less than half full then.
We got rid of our office last spring and went fully virtual.
My wife was supposed to go back 4 days a week, but due to limited space she’s officially remote but still goes into the office once or twice a week where she inevitably finds the office half empty.
Our policy is 3 days in, 2 WFH. At our Chicago office I would guess most people come in twice a week. Similar at the Brazil offices. I think people come in every day at the China offices.
We have some sublet tenants in Chicago (from before the pandemic). Some of them look to be completely WFH now.
Our policy is “work wherever you want.” Some employees are asking for more in office contact with their colleagues. Some who live farther away are opposed.
