S2 E39 Return to Office

Episode discussion topics

• Kudos to businesses who were on the front lines supporting a move to remote work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Now we have to deal with what the future will look like.
  
• Now is the time to re-examine our outmoded relationship with the company office. Many studies are showing nothing but win-win benefits from moving to a four-day workweek with gains in both productivity and personal satisfaction.
  • 4-Day Workweeks Can Boost Happiness and Productivity - The Atlantic
  • This huge new social experiment could finally make the 4-day-workweek a reality - inverse.com
• Hybrid remote and purposeful on-site face time is also another way companies can remain flexible with their workforce and maximize any benefits of having people in an office space setting. There should be a clear set of goals in mind for bringing the team together and everyone should be open to changing it up for the sake of improvement.
• We need to be cautious of the pitfalls of continuing an overemphasis on in-person interactions that are motivated for selfish reasons. There should be clear benefits available to all who participate in the office, a level playing field so-to-speak. Otherwise, we'll only be doubling back down on methods that helped inequality blossom.
• Workers that remain exclusively in any category, remote or in-office, still risk exclusion through limitations or overexposure from the perspective of visibility or availability to leadership.
  • This can have the effect of further isolating employees that are otherwise the best candidates for a coveted position because they haven't gotten enough face time with the bosses.
  • And/or unduly influencing bosses to over-index on a highly available person that may not be the best candidate overall.
    
  • Or more subtly, someone's bonus may more likely be affected by having a lack of in-person contact with key people in the office.
• Calls to Action:
  • Question any demands to return to the old normal and seek more information to understand the motivations and perspectives behind the decision-making.
  • Make it part of your one-on-ones, salary negotiations, and employee surveys to talk about intentions behind time in the office and share your respectful, informed, and candid feedback on the matter. Aim to improve the policies or how they are implemented by framing propositions thoughtfully and in a way where the benefits are clear.
  • Make yourself more aware of the history of labor and our hard-fought gains like the weekend, which is how we make gains, through hard fights that require patience, endurance, and a clear goal in mind: A 4-day work week anyone?
  • Employees are expected to act in the interest of the business that employs them and, by extension, in accordance with its policies when they do not conflict with the law. Yes, the laws of our republic always take precedence.
    
    • Approach topics from as strong (watertight) and well-grounded (can withstand forces) position as possible.
    • Be prepared to listen, receive, and measure the response to your delivery.
      
    • Avoid reacting at the moment.
      
    • Practice with a friend or coach if you're nervous.
      

Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.

More info

• Remember:
  • Acting on behalf of the business within its policy is an excellent place to have in mind when asking questions.
  • Ask questions about how policies benefit the business and its stakeholders or what other outcomes of value are expected.
  • Does the case make sense?
  • If not, then ask more valuable questions. For instance, how will the results be measured to know if things are working as planned or if adjustments are needed?
• We have transcripts now! Located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI. It's not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
  
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