So at my company, profit has decreased because of 2 things minly, though it is not clear to what proportion each contributed:
1) our customers were hit by lockdowns
2) people were working less while working from home
Now that we are back in the office, apparently “productivity” (however the management defines it) has taken a FURTHER hit.
They are trying to solve this by being petty, and don't seem to realize that any potential loss of productivity, or much of it, is due to many people really liking WFH for it's MUCH better work/life balance, and this now being taken away, so they are depressed.
I am not a manager. Have not run any business. But I would probably try and test a hybrid model. Like, give people 1 or 2 days a week to WFH. Maybe it works maybe it does not.
But our management has taken a few more decisive measures:
1) can't keep your phone on the desk, and can't use it while in the office. Apparently some schmucks watched netflix while at work. So now, everybody gets punished.
2) apparently, we are technically no longer allowed to accept food delivery if it is not delivered exactly in the collective break period. I can clock out and smoke, or sleep, or fuck, or do whatever I want, except to meet the delivery guy with my food.
3) one amenity we have in the form of table soccer, is only allowed to be used during the collective break. There is 200 of us, and break lasts 30 mins. So why the f even put it there?
etc.. Other small petty things like this.
What is the gods name are they thinking? Talking to my colleagues, it appears this will have the completely opposite effect. People are antagonized, and seemingly out of protest will work even less.
This being a smaller company in a smaller town, where workforce capable of job (semi-IT/IT) is VERY VERY hard to come by, and NOBODY has ever gotten a sack for underperforming, makes the strategy to work less perfectly viable. There is no anvil under the corporate hammer. There is just a small hammer that antagonizes people but can't really scare them into compliance.