Employee requests to WFH one day a week for childcare purposes only to be denied by fully remote HR manager: '[This] is 100% about control!'

One would think that most employers would be understanding when childcare becomes an issue, but unfortunately, far too many managers are too busy focusing on themselves that they are unable to see beyond their own experiences.

This parent had been allowed to work remotely one day a week for some time, which was particularly helpful for taking care of his six-month-old daughter. During this remote day, no work ever suffered as a result of his presence at home. At the same time, none of the coworkers on his team expressed any discontent with the fact that he needed to stay home that one day. In fact, he had set up all of his deadlines in such a way that his absence that day would not affect anyone else's workload. Besides, he wasn't even fully absent! He was still responsive throughout the work day; he just happened to be doing so from home!

Unfortunately, when the author requested to have this remote day again in the new year, he received an invitation to join a meeting with HR shortly thereafter. Once he logged onto this meeting with the head of HR, he was told that he was needed on that day. Did we mention that the head of HR is a fully remote employee? That certainly made the comment sting a bit more…

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  • It's amusing to think that the head of human resources can claim this employee's job needed to be an in-person role five days a week when it's hard to imagine justifying that her role can be fully remote. Isn't the whole point of human resources to deal with people and operations? Obviously, not every employee is based in the same location, but it seems to me that if anyone needs to be in person at the office, it would be her. 

    On top of that hypocrisy, the absolute inability of HR to work out a solution that would be beneficial for the employee's childcare needs is also reflective of her incompetence. The fact that there wasn't even an attempt on her part for a suitable compromise says everything we need to know about this lady. And yes, the fact that she is also fully remote says everything we need to know about her feelings on the benefits of working from home.

  • "Was told I could not work from home 1 day a week by the HR manager who works from home."

    I have a 6 month old daughter and my wife and I have worked out a good schedule that allows us to take care of her for the 4 days a week that we both have to work.
    via slicebishybosh
  • Part of this would require me to work from home 1 day a week (the same day every week). I was able to do it for a few weeks at the end of last year but for the last 2 months my MIL has been in town living with us and taking full care of our daughter while we are at work.
    via slicebishybosh
  • Fast Forward to yesterday and I request to be able to work from home the one day again. I'm told "We thought you would have figured out a solution by now. You are required to be at work every day."
    via slicebishybosh
  • This was told to me by the Head of HR who was conferenced called into the meeting because they work remotely (in another city).
    via slicebishybosh
  • There are several others in prominent positions that work remotely full time, part time, or whenever they choose.
    via slicebishybosh
  • Several others, including the owners sons/nephews will say the morning of "They're working from home because the nanny is sick" and that's if they they even bother showing up. The WFH is a free for all and so many use it and others ab...e it.
    via slicebishybosh
  • They claim my role requires me to be in the office every day. There are definitely aspects of my role that require me to be physically there. But there is more than plenty that doesn't require me to be there as well. I laid out my plan of what I would be accomplishing at home, but that didn't matter.
    via slicebishybosh
  • They claim my 1 day of remote. work would create a burden for others. (It wouldn't, I've talked to those who I directly work with and they are fine with it)
    via slicebishybosh
  • Meanwhile all the others I mentioned that are remote create a daily burden for all the rest of us. It is 100% about control. Some days I like my job. Others days I absolutely hate it.
    via slicebishybosh
  • A woman places her hands on either side of her head in frustration while working in front of her laptop.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Cozarkian Yep, it's about control to the point of stupidity. At my work, anyone in my position who has been there for 2 years can remote 4 days per week. They pay for my public transportation and will reimburse me for parking 2x
    via slicebishybosh
  • per month if for some reason "I need to drive." On top of that, last year they started giving a parking stipend to employees assigned to a location that doesn't have free parking available, so now I get a parking stipend that I never have to spend on parking because I get free transportation and 2x per month parking reimbursement.
    via slicebishybosh
  • Every piece of paper that comes into the office gets scanned, so I can do 100% of my work on a computer, I rarely talk to anyone other than two admins when I'm in the office, and the nature of my job. is deadline-driven, so if I slack off it will be noticed and I'll be fired within a week.
    via slicebishybosh
  • Given the number of people with my position, the company could save about $6,000 per month by letting us work remote 5 days per week without any loss of productivity, but no, the executive-level officers have firmly decided that nobody can ever be allowed to work from home 5 days per week for ... reasons.
    via slicebishybosh
  • It's a very dumb decision based on the need to feel in control and the delusion of keeping an "office community," but overall, I'm not complaining.
    via slicebishybosh
  • slicebishybosh OP The community used to be something I enjoyed, actually. It is far from that now.
    via slicebishybosh
  • davenport651. I know you can't do it with a wife and kids depending on you (I've been there!), but this is one of those times when it would be totally appropriate to draw a hard line and say "if you can't meet this basic accommodation, I'm done." I'd
    via slicebishybosh
  • guess they'd turn over really quick if you actually walked away. They know they have you now because of by the your situation.
    via slicebishybosh

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