The company I work has been remote working since March 2020, with our original office building scaling down its leasable floor plate since last year, refitting with hot dealing etc to promote hybrid working. We’ve had a new regional manager come in and it’s the classic ‘productivity is up but boomer manager want bums in seats’ even though we do not have the space now for more than half of you to be in at once.
ANYWAY
He sent round an email in an attempt to lure us in, stating that the office provides a place to ‘crack on with work you might not have the focus to do at home, a place to concentrate’ and also felt the need to mention that the energy price/crisis brings benefits in the form of the office radiators being on (whereas we might not put them on in our own homes during the day I guess?).
He has stated that he will be looking at the sign in sheets more proactively to see who is and who isn’t coming into the office at least once a week.
We have an informal work chat/WhatsApp, and this sparked a conversation that spiralled into malicious compliance.
I suggested that my visits to the office will ‘crack on with work I might not have the focus to do at home’ and I will be exclusively updating my CV, applying for jobs etc while in.
My co-worker jokingly said he’d do his washing before coming in, take his clothes horse in and set it up beside the radiators to take advantage of the heat.
We’re looking for more suggestions like these to involve everyone, does anyone have any good or bad ideas? Open to all!