Will making people come back to the office make them more productive?

Question

President Trump wants to reduce the number of government employees that are working from home. Billions are spent on office space the government leases that is sitting empty but the real story is how inefficient the work from home model is. I think that most work from home jobs ate really no show jobs.

WhiteSteve · Accepted Answer

You’re not “in the club”, man, this isn’t your concern. That’s THEIR hustle on you, and me, and the rest of us. Convincing us that our purpose on Earth is to be a productive worker for a national economy. Like read that back to yourself, that’s an absolutely crazy concept.

We aren’t here to build Rome. We did, we were able to, but that doesn’t mean that we should have or that it was a good idea. Like I kind of just broadly reject the notion that we’re in existence to create some sort of great society. Most of what I say about anything is just me accepting that as an unwanted reality, but by no means do I support it conceptually, I’m just operating within a forced context. My dream is that we all get our collective head out of our collective ass and stop pursuing the wrong goals. But it seems unlikely that I’ll live to see that.

But nobody was more spot on about any of this than ol’ George. Now HERE’S a guy who “gets it.”

https://www.youtube.com/embed/sGTKBXMNfrA

DrPepper12 · Accepted Answer

Productive? Marginal at best. Will proximity breed synergies? Yes.  Why not run govt like a business and reduce overhead? That was a MAGA platform plank that Trump / MAGA ran on!

Advisor Smith · Accepted Answer

The impact of returning to the office on productivity varies. Office environments can foster collaboration, spontaneous interactions, and team cohesion, which might enhance productivity. However, some employees excel in remote settings with fewer distractions and more flexibility. Productivity depends on factors like job roles, individual work styles, and organizational culture. A balanced approach, offering both in-office and remote options, might optimize productivity by catering to diverse needs. Taking into account personal experiences, flexibility and understanding employees' unique conditions often yield better results than a one-size-fits-all approach.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

I totally agree with Trump on this one. I didn't even realize there were still that many people working from home. That should have been knocked off a few years ago.

I don't believe for a minute that the average worker is as productive at home as they are in the office, especially in the long run. In the short run it might not make much difference. But over time the employees will become less and less invested in the company. They'll become less of a team. There is less socialization and camaraderie. Psychologically they will become more withdrawn. They could potentially even become de-socialized.

Personally I hate working from home. I don't want to work and live in the same place. That's like never getting off work. It requires far more discipline with your hours. It requires more discipline to stay active and focused.

Then there are plenty of lazy people who do as little as possible at work. How bad will that get when they no longer have anyone looking over their shoulder?

Screenwriter · Answer

Wow, Exit! Your three kids seems to have jobs that fit their lifestyles! As little work as possible.

I had a work from home customer service job that had unreasonable expectations. They had scheduled breaks, instead of breaks when the worker needed to, say, go to the bathroom. I couldn't train my body to not pee, or pee when I had a break! That was some crazytown stuff.

The questionable part of home work is when people are staying home with young children to babysit. I actually complained about a worker who was supposed to be helping me while a child was screaming in the background, and a man was arguing with her! It was a shocking abuse of this system.

And when I was doing customer service for this particular company and we were having a meeting, I heard several people who had children talking to them while they were at work. This is foolish when the employer clearly stated that IF that occurred they would be let go. .

I've had a young child. Whenever, and I mean WHENEVER, I got on the phone, he was up in my face. Mom this and mom that. I finally had to tell him, Alex, unless you are ON FIRE, do not interrupt me when I'm on the phone talking. He was at least 7 ro 9 years old at the time.

When you're at home, children see you as being available to them. If they can SEE you, you are there for them. There is no way to avoid this unless you have HOME CHILD CARE, or a partner providing child care while you work. Home work is no alternative to child care or you will have constant interruptions and face losing your job.

asarjam · Answer

Our compnay did a study and when COVID first started productivity increased from working at home. However, after about 90 days, productivity, efficiency and accuracy went in the toilet. Our consultants surmised that productivity spike was from a psychological fear of losing their job and also the uncertainty made work a stabilizing force. As time passed, the absence of environmental structure and fellow staff led to massive drops in our work product. Intuitively, and in our profession - staff will be more productive in their office, not at home.

Ez-Bri-Z_v2 · Answer

I permanently work from home and am still efficient. Having to go into the office would make me extremely uncomfortable and cause me to look at companies who still offer it as perks.

Eliminating work from home for office workers is just shooting themselves in the foot because more qualified workers will look elsewhere where if they do have to come into the office, at least they can make more money. This will just leave businesses with the useless people and new people who don't know the job.

AviatorTom · Answer

Probably not. Productivity is really caused by the worker, not where they work. My former company, before I retired, actually found that having all office employees WFH during the pandemic actually increased productivity, as well as profits. People didn't have that one hour commute between home and office, which effectively meant they worked more hours during the day. And the company could cut its electricity and heating bills... no need to keep all the lights on in a building no one was at, and they could lower the temperature.

IslaTheWitch · Answer

every person walking, or just moving sitting on their chair in the open space distracts me
every phone sound distracts me
every conversation I can hear distracts me
every distraction makes it harder to return to what I was doing earlier

it's called ADD, attention deficit, part of ADHD

working in office kills all my productivity

for me it should be matter of choice... there are people who live alone, so for them working in the office is a chance to meet a living person... there are people who have small kids at home, so working there is not always possible... there are people who simply prefer split between work and home

but there are also people who work much better and are more productive without micromanagement :D

Levin · Answer

When I work from home, which is not that often these days, I'm still just as efficient. If not more so. I mean, I could probably do with a second screen at home, but that's a separate issue.

Obviously, it's not just about working from home. But poor and weak management. Generally the ones 'busting their ass' in work are the same ones doing so at home. And the same applies to the terminally workshy and lazy.

Expecting a little flexibility isn't about being demanding or unreasonable. Traffic is a big pile of shite these days. You're losing an hour and a half in travel time. They want to minimise pollution and gridlock on the roads.

It's just shit management and employees that really need a boot in their ass, or to be let go.

sage2021 · Answer

I believe that if they are being forced to go back to the office that they are going to have a bad attitude and probably rebel and do the bare minimum.

I think these people that don't want to go back to the office are a bunch of babies!

They were going to the office before COVID and they got spoiled - sleeping in late, doing whatever they wanted to do, etc.

Some say it's because of the long commute. Well hell fire! Then move closer to your job! Duh!! That's what I did. That's a no brainer!!

I was a single Mom and didn't receive child support and didn't make much money as a secretary and I had to pay for child care and it was expensive back in the late 70's and 80's. Why would you think that it was any cheaper back then?

Just deal with it and stop your complaining or just stay home if you want to stay home so bad. 🙄

ProbablyClueless · Answer

I imagine it would... You have more direct interface with your coworkers and managers. Plus, they're less likely to try and do some snaky crap like work multiple jobs at the same time.

The best arrangement for a lot of people would probably be 2-3 days per week in office and the rest out of the office.

NathanDavis · Answer

depends on the job...

ever since the pandemia I moved my office to my place and I can do that just fine...

the in-site office is still there, and it's still used by coworkers, so... it works for us, might not work for others

katiesmuff · Answer

Yes I think there are cases where the workers should be back in the office full time, but some others seem to work very well on a flex system. I think all employees should live within an area where on occasion if nothing else could be brought into the office should it be needed.

Douglas1179 · Answer

Wow! Government employees being inefficient? You've got to be kidding me!

But don't ruin work-from-home for the rest of us. When I go the office, I am much LESS efficient, due to the people who like to fill their hours finding someone to have a "discussion" with. Discussions do not have any output. You can be a time waster no matter where you are physically located.

jennifer_bloom · Answer

My dad's job might be moved to a different location in a few years and if that happens and my dad does not want to drive to his new office, he might consider quitting. I hope he works at least another 3 or 4 years, cause if he saves that, it would be enough for a long time.

RavVid · Answer

I think it would be a variable feast. Some - like me - work harder and longer to meet goals. Others will pretend to work. Some work is verifiable and other work less verifiable.

msc545 · Answer

No, it will just make people angrier and more like to quit - which of course is why he is doing it.

LiamJHayden · Answer

At the very least it will prevent a lot of the use of things like this:

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Some people can work efficiently from home but most cannot.

Godihateyou · Answer

Nope. I've worked remote for the last 20 years. Got a high paying office job near city Hall... have to waste 4 hours a day traveling to an office that I teams meeting everyone all day that I could have done from home. I get zero benefit of going to the office. At least they pay me too much to waist time driving to an expensive building they don't need.

slatyb · Answer

No, it will make them less productive. I worked from home for three years. I was much more productive in my quiet home office than I am in an open plan office.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

Kudos for calling out your own kids. That takes balls! You earned my respect with that one, sir.

Wiredone · Answer

Yes I think I will. A lot of people who work from home abuse it.

Anonymous · Answer

Definitely. I've worked from home since 2017 and haven't been this lazy in my entire life. And everyone I know is the same way. Some actually work 8 or more hours, cumulative, a day, but it's almost only managers and directors.

Daniela1982 · Answer

I'd like to see Amazon or any food place work from home. Some of these sluggards working from home are probably having sex instead. 😂🤣

FenixG45 · Answer

Work/Life Balance means healthier, more productive staff. It's a fact!

UrsulaY · Answer

Good luck with that lol They are all happy and voted for him?  They won't be happy being forced to do anything. Turn against him lol

MarjorieJ · Answer

Leave them at home and stop paying them.

lightbulb27 · Answer

No and the communte going to be tough

KrakenAttackin · Answer

I agree. I know if I worked from home I would slack all I could.

Sabretooth · Answer

production has increased and companies save money.

suppaseepea · Answer

No, that's a myth.

jahaims · Answer

The opposite

Will making people come back to the office make them more productive?

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