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    Boston-based employee's remote status revoked, forced to come into a WeWork twice a week with no one from his company on site: 'No one from my team is within 500 miles!'

    What is the purpose of coming into an office where none of the other people who work there are employees at your company?

    This fully remote employee just found out that he was now being forced to come into the office two times a week despite the fact that he lives in Boston and everyone else at his company lives in North Carolina. Yes, none of the employees on his team lived within 500 miles of him, so there really was no legitimate reason why he needed to go to an office. 

    However, this was the new policy, and there was seemingly nothing he could do about it… for now.

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    • An employee sits alone at a desk in a coworking space.
      via Unsplash+ (Toa Heftiba)

      An employee sits alone at a desk in a coworking space.

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

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    • My "in office" day is me sitting in a WeWork because the company doesn't have a real office in my state

      I got hired by a company based in Boston. I'm in North Carolina. They knew this when they hired me. It was remote. Then it wasn't.
      via amiitk
    • When they announced hybrid RTO, they gave remote employees two options: relocate to Boston within 90 days, or find a "company approved coworking space" near you and do your 2 presence days from there.
      via amiitk
    • So now on Tuesdays and Thursdays I drive 20 minutes to a WeWork, sit in a hot desk surrounded by people I've never met from companies I've never
      via amiitk
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    • heard of, and do the exact same Zoom calls I would do from my house. I just do them from a louder room with worse coffee.
      via amiitk

    • Apparently, one of the reasons behind the Boston-based resident's requirement to go into the office was to appease the North Carolina-based residents. First of all, I bet if you took a poll from those employees, the vast majority of them would not care either way if their one coworker from Boston was staying home. Clearly, that was a line that upper management felt was justifiable enough to reiterate.

      However, as several members of this online community pointed out, there are some workarounds that the Boston-based employee can consider. First, taking a screenshot of his WeWork background and using it as his own background during meetings could work… provided that the image is convincing enough. 

      Alternatively, he could start looking for work elsewhere and when he inevitably lands a better offer, he could rub it in his boss's face by telling him that he got the job through mingling at the WeWork where he had to come in. In other words, he can frame his departure as a direct result of upper management's new bogus policy.

    • A black ceramic WeWork mug sits atop an empty desk.
      via Sargent Seal

      A black ceramic WeWork mug sits atop an empty desk.

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

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    • The company pays for the WeWork membership. $350 a month. That's $4,200 a year so that I can sit in a building and pretend I'm in an office. I don't collaborate with anyone there. No one from my team is within 500 miles.
      via amiitk
    • My manager has never asked me a single question about my WeWork days. Not once. I don't think he even knows what I do
      via amiitk
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    • there. Because the answer is exactly what I do at home. Just with shoes on. This is what compliance theater looks like.
      via amiitk
    • An employee sits alone at a desk in a coworking space.
      via Unsplash+ (Toa Heftiba)

      An employee sits alone at a desk in a coworking space.

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

    • Bob_Chris So take a picture of the Wework cubicle, then have it printed and put it up behind you in your home office.
      via amiitk
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    • anuncommontr... Are they even checking to see if you're compliant with the policy? I just wouldn't go in. I haven't checked my staffs in office record in 3 years.
      via amiitk
    • CanningJ Third post today where people saying they go in office to do zoom calls. Wonder what the purpose is?
      via amiitk
    • TorontoPolarBear When you leave, let them know it was someone you met at the WeWork who hired you.
      via amiitk
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    • 1quirky1 Start an LLC for coworking space. Offer one space- your WFH space. Get your company on the approved vendors list. Profit.
      via amiitk
    • 182RG This is about making those who did relocate, or are already in the Boston office. feel better.
      via amiitk
    • tflemon67 OMG what a waste of money. These companies are n ts
      via amiitk

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