As more companies call employees back to their desks after years of remote work, frustration over return-to-office policies is playing out online. A recent post on Reddit has struck a chord with many workers after one employee described being ordered back to the office for the sake of “culture” — only to see their own director continue working from home at the end of every week.
Two Years Remote, Then a Sudden Shift
In the post, the employee explained that their team had been fully remote for two years. By their account, the arrangement was functioning smoothly. Targets were achieved, clients were satisfied and staff turnover remained low.
That changed in January when the director sent a lengthy email emphasising that “in-person collaboration is essential for innovation” and that the company needed to “rebuild our team culture.” Employees were instructed to return to the office five days a week starting in February.
The worker shared that during the pandemic they had moved 40 minutes farther from the office, assuming remote work would continue. The new rule now means an 80-minute daily commute. They estimate spending about $60 a week on fuel and another $120 on dog daycare, costs they did not previously have.
“Fine. I mean not fine, but ok,” the employee wrote, describing their reaction to the announcement.
Three weeks after returning, the employee said the promised boost in collaboration has not really happened. Instead, most team members sit at their desks on Zoom calls with headphones on because many colleagues are based in another location.
“We are literally doing the exact same thing we did at home except now we’re doing it in an office with bad coffee and a bathroom that’s always occupied,” the post read.
The situation became more pointed when the employee revealed that the director works remotely every Friday. When the issue was raised during a team meeting, the director reportedly responded, “leadership roles have different requirements.”
That explanation did not ease concerns. According to the post, three employees have already begun searching for new jobs, discussing their plans quietly in the parking lot “like we’re planning a prison break.”
Similar Stories From Other Workers
The post quickly attracted comments from others who described comparable experiences.
One commenter said their company had shifted to remote work even before the pandemic after losing an office lease near the Chinatown Gate. Later, corporate leadership required staff to return, despite the company only having 11 desks in a co-working space. “It’s like working in a hotel lobby,” the user wrote, adding that most of the day is still spent on calls with colleagues who never visit the city.
Another user suggested that some companies may be enforcing in-office attendance to justify lease expenses. “If they’re paying rent, they want bodies in chairs, even if the ‘collaboration’ is just Zoom with worse coffee,” the comment read.
Several contributors said fully remote roles are now a requirement for them. One individual who has worked remotely for 15 years in IT said they ask recruiters at the start whether a job is fully remote and decline if it is not.