Economists say the work-from-home trend, which was widespread during the pandemic, won't diminish to its pre-Covid level because it's profitable for employers.

KEY POINTS

  • Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, whom President-elect Donald Trump appointed to lead a new government efficiency team, said they intend to call federal employees back to the office five days a week.
  • Companies such as Amazon and The Washington Post are adopting a similar policy in 2025.
  • But many companies will keep remote or hybrid work arrangements, largely because they boost profits, economists said.
  • Some view return-to-office mandates as a stealthy way to reduce employee head count.
  • MsPenguinette@lemmy.world
    104·
    3 days ago

    Fuck it, I’m saying it, I’m less productive when I work from home. I get to fuck off easier and I do genuinely miss in person collaboration on complex problems.

    That said, I’m probably never going to work another job that is more than 2 day hybrid. If every company in the world decided they would go back to 100% in person, I’d have to go back to working harder but as long as some companies care a tiny bit about the wellbeing of their workers, there will be this continuous push/pull of most companies wanting to squeeze every ounce of juice out of every worker.

    Tech is a weird industry tho. There are some companies that just rely on churn and burn through employees (cough cough spacex cough cough amazon cough cough). I’m lucky to have ended up in a specific sector where there is a lot of attrition due to frustration so they kind of just deal with the fact that they aren’t gonna get 100% out of everyone.

    All that is to say is that there are some interesting dynamics at play and I’ll hold the line, but there is a grain of truth in there but fuck capitalism, not everything has to be done as efficiently and as profitable as possible. Let people just live and work and chill

    • Chekhovs_Gun@lemmy.world
      3·
      3 days ago

      Fuck it, I’m saying it, I’m less productive when I work from home. I get to fuck off easier and I do genuinely miss in person collaboration on complex problems.

      This is me right here. But I go in 3 times a week into the office for my BioTech job. Works great for me.

    • jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
      21·
      3 days ago

      I don’t really find “I fuck off more at home” especially compelling. That sounds like a problem for you and your manager to deal with, and not something that everyone else needs to suffer for.