Today my coworker asked HR for the ability to work from home this week due to his spouse contracting covid and experiencing some negative symptoms. HR told him no, because he tested negative he has to come in. He then took two weeks of mixed PTO/sick days to stay home and take care of her and not risk acting as a carrier in our open office space.
I have several issues with this. We work in IT and it is 100% possible to work remotely, we did it for the majority of the pandemic. His spouse is sick, I would understand if work was busy and the org is worried about getting work done, but this place is where good ideas go to die and everyone gets by doing the bare minimum.
I’ve never seen my coworker openly criticize this place; but the dissatisfaction is widespread, and only growing like a wildfire.
(There is an Employee Suggestion Box that I know my team alone has submitted at least 50-100 requests for flexibility but the organization completely ignores it. We as IT see all the people who’s accounts are being deactivated because they’re leaving.)
Why are organizations so comfortable with screwing over their employees for the sake of fake normalcy? Is work flexibility the hill you really want to die on?