Sorry for a messy rant.
It’s my second week back into the offices at Google, and I’ve learned three of my team members have tested positive for Covid. They get sent home since they aren’t feeling well and get paid for not working since Google is the one who put them at risk, and this also affects my project in a way that most of us will need to stay late to cover them and get our daily tasks finished. Productivity becomes lower and people on my team are scared, because Google values “face-to-face” collaboration over the safety and well-being of their employees, despite them providing the world with the most dense, politician-like response to the pandemic. “If you’re sick just stay home.”
I come into the office to do literally the same shit I do at home, except I have to spend money for gas.
This one-size-fits-all RTO approach doesn’t fucking work, period. They’re dangling carrots with sprinkles in front of their workers to try to have them return to the office by showering them with the possibility of concerts, events, and “perks.” All because of the whole “we miss your face and talking to you directly” spiel they spit out. News flash – the concept of socialization can exist without an office space. Nothing is stopping me from seeing someone’s “face” if we were suddenly transitioning to WFH. And Google knows they’re paying for this ridiculous push; it’s only a matter of time I think they realize this decision to RTO was fucking stupid. Top talent are leaving and moving to other companies. Talent is getting sick in the office and are leaving behind scared employees and increased pressure to meet deadlines. Gas in California is through the roof with no financial support for their employees (at least none for me). For a company that takes pride in its cutting-edge search and data analysis technology, they don’t seem to understand the cons heavily outweigh the pros.
And don’t even start with “well what about people who prefer to work in an office space,” then allow people to choose! I’d like to imagine a world where Google offers flexibility for their workers; you wanna work from home? Go for it! You wanna work in the office? Go for it! Why not? Imagine the amount of trust and the boosted morale people get just from that. Of course people are primarily going to opt to work from home, but the office potentially is no longer viewed as a workspace, but a place to collaborate and socialize. Google can still dangle their carrots in front of people as incentive all they want to push more employees back; reward people for coming in instead of punishing them for staying home.
Is someone being lazy and not doing their work because they’re at home? How about instead of opting to micromanage every one, fire them and find someone else.
I’ve thought about why returning to the office is a good idea, but I can come up with zero. I’m pretty sure almost every argument in favor of RTO can be refuted. But Christ, for Google to preach forward thinking, do they have their methodology and ideals backward.
Google thinks I’m much more productive when I’m in the office – man, are they right. I’m so productive, I’ve sent 15 job applications to other companies in one day!
Sorry for ranting. It’s difficult for me to verbalize any kind of thought to make it sound eloquent on the Internet.