Is remote work going away?: Manager demands remote worker keeps camera on and pointed at their face for all hours worked

When the pandemic struck in 2020 and turned traditional working arrangements on their head, we were forced to adapt and restructure our working lives in forms that had been previously deemed illogical. 

As the pandemic progressed, it seemed like we had made a huge leap forward. We were working from the comfort of our homes, without wasting time on a daily commute. Generally, most people agreed that this was a better arrangement. We soon found that the workforce didn't need to be tied to central business locations like in the age before the internet. Sure, there were some kinks and hiccups along the way, but we adapted to our new realities more easily than we expected. 

The big question comes in the form of what effect this new working arrangement had on productivity. The answer there isn't so simple; there have been mixed reports as to exactly what the effects here were—with as many articles and studies as you care to count claiming some damning statistic for one side or the other. The truth of the matter is probably this: Those who are easily self-motivated and were already excelling in their roles before the pandemic had no trouble being as (or more) productive from home with fewer office distractions, while those who were already lacking motivation probably continued to drag their feet. 

Those arguing in favor of returning to workplaces, like this Washington Post piece, suggest that the isolation of remote work stifles innovation—despite relenting, in the same breath, that “services produced per hour of work” (according to some study or another) increased during the pandemic period. Another thing the author laments missing from this new era is the lack of “new friendships” nurtured from office interactions—clearly missing the fact that most of the working class would trade these relationships (and time spent commuting) for more time with their family in a heartbeat.

Fast forward to 2022: The pandemic is hardly in the rearview mirror, and we've already seemingly forgotten the lessons that we learned. Workplaces are reverting to their traditional in-office arrangements and reneging on promises of flexible workplaces; Even workers hired for remote positions during the pandemic are being asked to drive hours to assemble at an office location under threat of termination.

Where those requests aren't being made or met, you have stories like this popping up online. Posted to Reddit's r/antiwork this week, this Reddit user claims that their manager is demanding to see their face every minute of the day while they are working remotely. The manager is requesting that the worker turn on their camera.

“I got a call from my manager Friday late afternoon,” the user writes. “She asks that for the next two weeks, starting upcoming Monday, that I […] work 50-hour weeks ([up] from my usual 40), with my webcam on for the entirety of each day.”

They continue on, explaining that they started working for the company this year and that the role has been “100%” remote up until this point. The company had previously worked out of an office before becoming “fully remote” during the pandemic.

Readers of the thread were of one mind in their thoughts about the issue and offered the poster some advice on how to handle this problem.

Keep reading to see the screenshots of the original thread below and some of the reactions. Be sure to let us know what your experience has been with this in the comments.

For more like this, check out this bewildering email that asked workers to eat their lunch at their desks just in case the CEO should materialize. 

via u/EllieAB