I work for Abbott and they just released a new “flexible” work policy that is 1 day work from home and 4 days from the office. This happened immediately after CEO visited the new space that they spent millions of dollars acquiring in a high rise building in the middle of Chicago that was empty. The C-suite pretty much is having a hissy fit.
Not only is this much more strict than the previous 2-3 days from home arrangements, it also screws over people who have moved away to a different city during covid and now they either have to move back or lose their job. The most obnoxious part about this is that to be able to regularly work from home 1 day a week, we have to request this from our immediate manager and the DIVISIONAL VICE PRESIDENT (DVP). This request needs to be done through Workday, our hr portal. So no mass approvals or memos. AND they need to keep approving EVERY 90 DAYS to make sure the arrangement is still benefiting the company. Essentially scaring people away because nobody wants to have their name in front of the DVPs desk. They have hundreds of people reporting to them and big responsibilities. You don’t want to be that one name they waste 5 min to approve work from home. Not once but every 3 months.
Our recruiters have been telling people 2 days work from home during career fairs. Which is a lie. Practically it’s 0 days. No newbie is going to have the guts to ask the DVP for even one day. That’s assuming their manager accepts the scrutiny.
I just needed to vent. I hope there is a mass exodus. I, for myself, will for sure look for another opportunity. I don’t need full work from home but having more flexibility and not being micromanaged like this would do wonders.
Full disclosure: this is a burner account because I don’t want this post to come back and bite me.