Employee forced back to the office after 4 years of remote work starts arriving late every morning, and management has yet to say a word: ‘I’ve simply stopped caring'

This employee's feelings aren't personal. Actually, it is more common than we think. A study provided by the University of Pittsburgh found that return-to-office policies were associated with a decline in employees' job satisfaction, and they also didn't show significant growth in companies' financial performance. So, this means that companies deciding to have all of their employees back in one building isn't really proving anything; it has more to do with a decision that comes from high up, than from actually thinking what's best for the company and the employees, who are the ones that has to commute every single day.

According to this employee's experience, he had asked to work from home at least one day a week, but the company declined his request because remote work was now only available for managers. This makes no sense at all. Deep down, there's no reason as to why they decided to implement an RTO, because if there was a sincere motive, employees would know and they might even feel more willing to comply, rather than feeling that they are only losing privileges they once had. So, while arriving late may not be everyone's way of quietly protesting, it confirms that working in an office doesn't have the effect employers were hoping for.

Luckily for this employee, there are companies where working remotely works better than in an office, and some of them have even decided never to return to working on-site. There's a way out of this work system, and commuting can become a choice. It's more about looking for a company that aligns with your desires, rather than complying with policies you don't agree with.