Electronic Arts’ return-to-office mandate spurs confusion and worry among games workers

https://massivelyop.com/2025/05/16/electronic-arts-return-to-office-mandate-spurs-confusion-and-worry-among-games-workers/

If you like my product & organizational structure content, I just spent an hour responding to an interesting thread on the concept of Return to Office over on Bluesky.
https://bsky.app/profile/productnerd.bsky.social/post/3lq4rh5yaxk26
(My kingdom for an edit button. My fingers have fallen off.)

Highly recommend reading through the original thread first. Charity is someone I deeply respect, and I think they have some interesting views here.

@jenniferplusplus also got to the core of the missing trust. https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferplusplus.com/post/3lq4iscelts2l

They’ve Observed Teleworking for Four Years and Reached One Clear Conclusion: “Working From Home Makes Us Happier” https://indiandefencereview.com/theyve-observed-teleworking-for-four-years-and-reached-one-clear-conclusion-working-from-home-makes-us-happier/

After four years of watching remote work in action, researchers uncovered a surprising shift in how people feel about their jobs. The results challenge many common beliefs about working from home.

Sleep Gains and Reduced Stress Linked to Eliminated Commutes

More Time for Work, Family, and Leisure Leads to Healthier Lifestyles

Productivity Remains Stable and Well-Being Improves When Remote Work Is Chosen

#Remote Working Saved #Zillow Money, Helped #Recruiting, and Maintained #Productivity
'It's Been Fantastic for Us': Zillow's CEO Says His Company Is Sticking With #RemoteWork Despite JPMorgan and Walmart Mandating a #ReturnToOffice. Here's Why. Zillow's 6,800 employees have been #fullyremote for the past five years — and the company's CEO says they're not going back to in-person work. https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/zillow-is-sticking-with-remote-work-cloudhq-says-ceo/486254 #RTO #WFH

"Uber on Monday informed employees, including some who had been previously approved for remote work, that it will require them to come to the office three days a week"

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/uber-raises-in-office-requirement-to-3-days-claws-back-remote-workers.html

After 5 years of mostly working from my home office they want us to come back to the office office full time. What they don't realize I've developed a habit of talking to myself, out loud. I'm not sure I can be productive without it. And I swear. Like a lot. So that's gonna be interesting...

"Fed WKRs required to report their daily location."

“Unlike the ‘5 bullets’ -isn't a strong encouragement. All employees are required to submit this daily info” -read an email to election comm staff.

The Trump admin is making all #FEC employees report their loc daily, INCL on leave or during fed holidays! So you're on vacation & you have to email your boss every day "Yeah, I'm still on vacation." Now THAT's waste!"
-A R-Melnick

#Fascism #WorkersRights #DOGE #RTO #USPol
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/04/30/return-to-office-track-federal-office-occupancy/

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan unveils bold changes: refocusing on engineering excellence, cutting over 20% of workforce and bureaucracy, and implementing a 4-day in-office policy to drive innovation. Major #restructuring for #Intel’s future. #Leadership #Semiconductors #TechNews #RTO #AI

Die #AOK unterstützt mit ihrem Magazin "gesundes Unternehmen" für Arbeitgeber kräftig die #RTO-Propaganda...

...und agiert letztlich damit gegen die Interessen ihrer Mitglieder.

Zum Glück bin ich nicht bei diesem Laden versichert.

Politics aside, new research shows there are good financial reasons to back working from home

https://phys.org/news/2025-04-politics-good-financial-home.html

Come to the office they said. 3/4 elevators are broken they said. The water is slightly poisonous they said. Collaborate. #rto

RTO mandates have more to do with the manager's inability to work remotely as opposed to the team's.
Agree?

"Custodial budgets didn't rise to meet the added demand in fed bldgs with #RTO mandates. Trash cans are overflowing, sinks: clogged, & bathrooms: out of TP. Thetraumatizing is the point.

The moves not only reversed a 15-year trend toward more telework that was required by fed law, but CBAs that allowed for it."

The #TrumpMusk regime uses sinister & illegal means to coerce public servants to quit or be fired. The fascist mob is in charge.

#Firings #DOGE #Trump #USPol
https://prospect.org/labor/2025-03-13-federal-workers-return-to-office-custodial-staff-doesnt/

Companies demanding a return to office must provide employees with:

masks, testing kits, and vaccination vouchers.

Five years ago today, I went to work like any other day. I arrived at the office at 8:30 AM. I got back home at 7pm.

If I slept for eight hours that day, that means I spent five and a half hours of my day for my own time (mostly family time).

Today, I sat down at my desk at 8am. I'll go downstairs for dinner at 5pm. Between those two times, I'll spend an hour having lunch with my wife and daughter, and a few five minute breaks here and there where I can chat with my wife, help around the house, and whatnot.

But, I'll also more work than I would have in the office (fewer people dropping by my desk), and I'll still spend some time collaborating with my colleagues (more effectively over Zoom, each at our own computers, than crowded around one person's).

This is why I work from home, and won't ever go back to an office.

Return-to-office! As the brilliant Elon Musk once opined: "The people that come fix your house, they can't work from home. But you can? Does that seem morally right?"

Well, unless your constituents are angry because your actions are deeply unpopular. Then it's okay to work remotely and use Zoom.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-town-halls-blowback-trump-cuts-rcna193766