#returntooffice

I am already hearing leaders whisper about another WPE review being done and an update in the talks about more back in office days. Is this just gossip at my site or can anyone confirm they may be right??

I enjoy the work and have no problem doing it 40+ hours /week. What is quickly driving me insane is spending hours in traffic every day to do the same job I know I can do the same, if not better, without the drive when all of your work is on a computer. Gas is too expensive and Dearborn/metro Detroit su-ks to commute in. On top of that, shame on Ford for making all of their employees come in 4 days for over a year now without proper seating and planning.

Ram and Ramon care so much about their employees that they have suddenly shifted gears and mandated a return to office policy in the middle of an oil crisis and record high fuel prices. All of this feels intentional on destroying the American workforce

The Walt Disney Company is reportedly demanding that some remote tech and product employees return to the office four days a week. Those who do not comply with this mandate may face termination. This policy is not new, as Disney announced a similar requirement in March 2023. The current enforcement appears to be targeting employees who have remained fully remote. This move comes as the company emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration for creativity and career development.

Burbank, California

https://www.disneyfanatic.com/disney-reportedly-tightens-return-to-office-enforcement-for-remote-staff-el1/

5 days a week with min 6 hours per day coming in Dec of 2026. Enjoy people

Are they granting just enough of them to breed discontent and further lower morale?

Anyone else catch this slip from Bill F at the all hands earlier?

Why didn’t Fido finish the endless construction BEFORE making everyone in COV return to the site?!

No one can funnel a frec report to princess Abby?

Hearing more and more chatter that the return-to-office mandate could soon be moving to 4 days a week.
Also hearing that VPN activity is being tracked to see when people are connecting remotely vs being in the office — and that use of company AI tools/prompts may be logged or monitored too, so worth remembering that what you type into work systems might not necessarily be private. 👀
Then this video pops up saying tougher office mandates can sometimes be used to drive natural attrition before bigger restructuring or layoffs…
Coincidence? Maybe. But with everything else going on, the timing is interesting. 😂

Did you get the email for equipment return? I've seen posts in here talking about how to send equipment back. If you talked to IT are they telling you to send back the dual monitors. I need to get this out of my house 🏠 😩. I

Complete capture of one thread: the original post plus all 52 replies, with
vote counts, reply relationships, and full post text preserved verbatim.

• Source: TheLayoff.com, board: Thread regarding T-Mobile layoffs
• Thread address: https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kpztp1hb
• Thread ID: 1kpztp1hb (shared suffix of every post ID in the thread)

Posted April 24 by Z, post ID @OP+1kpztp1hb.

Gross. Supply chain/procurement.

Reply 1 of 52, post ID @ae+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 5 total, +5 / 0, net +5
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@ae+1kpztp1hb

I assume consultants are excluded from RTO as always.

Reply 2 of 52, post ID @aj+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 3 total, +3 / 0, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@aj+1kpztp1hb

Some orgs under John Saw are also instructing employees to do 5 days RTO with WFH option only when necessary

Reply 3 of 52, post ID @aq+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 1 total, +1 / 0, net +1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@aq+1kpztp1hb

who’s org is that

Reply 4 of 52, post ID @ar+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 7 total, +7 / 0, net +7
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@ar+1kpztp1hb

Maybe that will help the stock price.

Reply 5 of 52, post ID @as+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: aj
• Reactions: 10 total, +10 / 0, net +10
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@as+1kpztp1hb

@aj RTO 5 days a week? Damn I have to quit the second job now

Reply 6 of 52, post ID @ay+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: OP
• Reactions: 7 total, +6 / -1, net +5
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@ay+1kpztp1hb

@OP right now most of them are coming to office for couple of hours only, Does that mean we will do the same thing 5 days a week or should be in office for 8 hrs a day for all 5 days?

Reply 7 of 52, post ID @az+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 10 total, +4 / -6, net -2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@az+1kpztp1hb

Abdul's (now Joh Saw's) org was 5 days RTO for managers/directors as soon as the place was reopened with WFH as an exception (e.g., we've got a 3am install occurring...) and you had to have the mandated jab.
Funny that JUST NOW the rest of the org is being mandated RTO.

Reply 8 of 52, post ID @bc+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 24
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: aq
• Reactions: 5 total, +5 / 0, net +5
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@bc+1kpztp1hb

@aq It's Simpson's org.

Reply 9 of 52, post ID @fr+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 25
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 15 total, +11 / -4, net +7
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@fr+1kpztp1hb

Simpson has small hands and an even smaller d∗∗k. He is a weasel and is only looking out for his best interests. He is long overdue for a visit from the karma faeries.

Reply 10 of 52, post ID @kj+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 26
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: ay
• Reactions: 10 total, +9 / -1, net +8
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@kj+1kpztp1hb

@ay, leadership know that some people are just badge swiping. There will be surveillance enhancements to know who is leaving the office building and when. Facial recognition, transition from using the badge to device for building access, who knows what's coming. But what is clear is their stance on WFH has changed.

Reply 11 of 52, post ID @md+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 26
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 19 total, +14 / -5, net +9
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@md+1kpztp1hb

Simpson is clearly not a nice person. His wife must be miserable.

Reply 12 of 52, post ID @n1+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 26
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: kj
• Reactions: 7 total, +7 / 0, net +7
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@n1+1kpztp1hb

@kj If you come in the garage, you have to badge in and out.

Reply 13 of 52, post ID @qt+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 27
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 55 total, +17 / -38, net -21
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@qt+1kpztp1hb

It's about time. There are way too many employees taking advantage of "Working" from Home....aka Costco runs, babysitting, mowing the lawn, playing golf, watching TV, sleeping, and who knows what else!
Time to get back to the office where the above activities will be harder to pull off. This company needs every employee fully engaged and doing the work they are being paid to do. The stock is way off and shareholders deserve better. The Covid era party has lasted way too long, and is finally coming to an end.

Reply 14 of 52, post ID @qx+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 27
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: qt
• Reactions: 20 total, +16 / -4, net +12
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@qx+1kpztp1hb

@qt Old do-nothing office lurking farts like you are why I quit.

Reply 15 of 52, post ID @qy+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 27
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: qt
• Reactions: 28 total, +10 / -18, net -8
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@qy+1kpztp1hb

@qt time for all the lazy WFH caucasian ladies to get back to work!

Reply 16 of 52, post ID @w8+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 28
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 27 total, +4 / -23, net -19
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@w8+1kpztp1hb

As it should be. We're now in year six post Fauci's Folly. Time to get back to work.

Reply 17 of 52, post ID @w9+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 28
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: qt
• Reactions: 6 total, +5 / -1, net +4
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@w9+1kpztp1hb

@qt Unfortunately for T-Mobile this is a legit reply, for hopefully not most, but too many of our employees. Too bad some people have to ruin a good thing.

Reply 18 of 52, post ID @y8+1kpztp1hb

• Date: April 28
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: kj
• Reactions: 7 total, +5 / -2, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@y8+1kpztp1hb

@kj they are already using zScaler to monitor everyone's time in the office. They know what office/location your laptop is connected to and for how long.

Reply 19 of 52, post ID @1pj+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 4
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: w9
• Reactions: 6 total, +5 / -1, net +4
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@1pj+1kpztp1hb

@w9 Several tech companies announced permanent wfh and methodically forced people back into the office. Productivity was up, now they’re resentful. Bring the blame these full of sh-t corporations for their actions, not employees.

Reply 20 of 52, post ID @1pk+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 4
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: qt
• Reactions: 9 total, +5 / -4, net +1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@1pk+1kpztp1hb

@qt I guess you’re more productive while talking around a break room drinking coffee instead, or physically attending pointless weekly meetings about updates that you already put in 2 or 3 slide presentations the previous day. You must really have no life if you prefer to be trapped in an office 5 days a week for this nonsense.

Reply 21 of 52, post ID @1q4+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 4
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 9 total, +6 / -3, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@1q4+1kpztp1hb

I don't mind RTO but maybe they could wait until gas prices go back down to normal.

Reply 22 of 52, post ID @1vm+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 5
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 1pk
• Reactions: 8 total, +3 / -5, net -2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@1vm+1kpztp1hb

@1pk coffee talk, son. Company rules. You're getting paid well. If you don't like it, leave.

Reply 23 of 52, post ID @1yd+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 5
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 1pk
• Reactions: 10 total, +6 / -4, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@1yd+1kpztp1hb

@1pk You sound like another Gen "Fill in the Blank with whatever Letter suits you" who thinks a job is all about you and what makes you happy. Its called a freaking Job...thats why they pay you. Sounds like what you are really wanting is freedom and the ability to call your own shots. That's called financial independence or retirement. Until then...you are an employee where they pay you to do, what they tell you to do. Save your money my friend and invest well. Cheers!

Reply 24 of 52, post ID @20c+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 6
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 1yd
• Reactions: 4 total, +4 / 0, net +4
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@20c+1kpztp1hb

@1yd Sadly, I’m probably closer to your age than you think but I’ve evolved to recognize work life balance and not be a sheep. I’m not talking about hard work, I’m talking about office politics. By all means do your job well. That said; We’re all entitled to some level of freedom. The days of shutting down from work off hours is over for most people with technology. In the very least, you should be allowed to work remotely a good portion of your time.
Ironic that you signed off with “cheers.” Perhaps you should consider the European philosophy to work instead of being pretentious.

Reply 25 of 52, post ID @20m+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 6
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 20c
• Reactions: 2 total, +1 / -1, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@20m+1kpztp1hb

@20c if you're not shutting down after hours, that's your fault.

Reply 26 of 52, post ID @20w+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 6
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 20m
• Reactions: 5 total, +5 / 0, net +5
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@20w+1kpztp1hb

@20m Not when your management tells you to be available after hours and weekends. Again not everyone has the luxury of bsing half of the day in the office.

Reply 27 of 52, post ID @220+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 6
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 20w
• Reactions: 5 total, +2 / -3, net -1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@220+1kpztp1hb

@20w sounds like you need a new job or take your tough guy rto attitude to your boss and let them know you don't work after hours and weekends. Do something instead of complaining on the Internet.

Reply 28 of 52, post ID @252+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 20w
• Reactions: 2 total, +2 / 0, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@252+1kpztp1hb

@20w It's so fun to hear you business types moan about working after hours. Try being on an engineering or tech team where you routinely are up from Midnight to 3am doing an install that may or may not go well, due to dependence on developers in Mumbai or Hyderabad.

Reply 29 of 52, post ID @25q+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 252
• Reactions: 4 total, +4 / 0, net +4
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@25q+1kpztp1hb

@252 on top of that, the engineers that are pulling multiple all nighters at home for a deployment still risk losing their jobs if they do not scan in at an office for 3 days that week.

Reply 30 of 52, post ID @265+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 6 total, +4 / -2, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@265+1kpztp1hb

It’s not just about a badge swipe. It’s going to be hourly laptop pings confirming connection to the LAN to see how long you stay in the office, along with geofencing your phone. This is truly insidious work. Trust me. I’m the one creating the report.

Reply 31 of 52, post ID @267+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 264
• Reactions: 3 total, +1 / -2, net -1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@267+1kpztp1hb

@264 Whatever you say Donald. Haven’t you been on the golf course half of the time yourself?

Reply 32 of 52, post ID @268+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 265
• Reactions: 4 total, +2 / -2, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@268+1kpztp1hb

@265 they are not geofencing phones. I pay for my phone and service. Nowhere in the T&Cs does it state this for employees. If this was proven to be occurring, the company could get majorly fined. Company issued laptops are a different story. Your personal phones and service that you pay for - not happening.

Reply 33 of 52, post ID @269+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 5 total, +3 / -2, net +1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@269+1kpztp1hb

I have been retired a couple years. All I know is Costco, pickleball courts, coffee shops, Home Depot and everything else you can imagine have a lot more under 60 people at them, during normal weekday working hours. Before Covid, when I would take a vacation day during the week....most places were a ghost town. Not the case anymore. Either everyone is retired all a sudden, or something else is going on. I think you can do the math from here. This isn't just a T-Mobile thing either. Publicly traded companies that answer to shareholders are course correcting. And....AI is more than happy to do your job too.

Reply 34 of 52, post ID @26b+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 7
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 269
• Reactions: 4 total, +2 / -2, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@26b+1kpztp1hb

@269 Probably your old coworkers that T-Mobile and other tech companies laid off that can’t find jobs. Must be nice to skate through Sprint for 40 years, retire and complain about others. Typical boomer behavior.

Reply 35 of 52, post ID @290+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 8
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 268
• Reactions: 4 total, +1 / -3, net -2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@290+1kpztp1hb

@268 You may pay for your phone, but as an employee you are not paying for your service. The free service comes with some hooks.

Reply 36 of 52, post ID @2aj+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 8
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 290
• Reactions: 1 total, 0 / -1, net -1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2aj+1kpztp1hb

@290 that is B S. Stop lying. I am in Network and this does not happen.

Reply 37 of 52, post ID @2bp+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 8
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 2 total, +1 / -1, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2bp+1kpztp1hb

Return-to-office (RTO) trends in 2026 are defined by tighter enforcement of hybrid models and a shift away from flexible, ad-hoc schedules toward mandatory 3-to-5 day in-office requirements. Despite worker reluctance, many major employers are utilizing badge-swipe tracking and expanding disciplinary action to ensure compliance.
Key RTO Trends Rise of the 4-to-5 Day Mandate: The standard 2-3 day hybrid model is evolving. Around 30% of organizations now require a full 5-day in-office week, while four-day requirements are steadily increasing.
The Era of "The Great Compliance": Unlike the past few years where return mandates led to massive pushback, a tightening job market has caused the percentage of workers willing to quit over RTO to drop to roughly 7%.
Stricter Badge-Swipe Tracking: Companies are actively using digital surveillance—such as badge-swipe data and location logins—rather than relying on trust to enforce required minimum office days.
Sector-Specific Stringency: The push is particularly aggressive in finance and tech. For example, prominent institutions like UBS have restricted remaining junior banker flexibilities, demanding 5-day attendance.
Disconnection & Morale Issues: Although compliance is up, continuous enforcement alongside organizational layoffs has contributed to a growing disconnect between executives prioritizing physical presence and employees valuing flexibility.

Reply 38 of 52, post ID @2da+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 9
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 2 total, +2 / 0, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2da+1kpztp1hb

I’m working my 40 hours and not a minute extra. Bo-m! 💥

Reply 39 of 52, post ID @2g2+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 9
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2bp
• Reactions: 3 total, +3 / 0, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2g2+1kpztp1hb

@2bp okay. Be honest. If TMO really wants to implement back to office. They better make sure f..ing people scanning and going back. These Directors and VP knows who they are and not taking any action. This is 2 sets of standards. Get this f.. fix first and then ask other to RTO.

Reply 40 of 52, post ID @2hj+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 10
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2g2
• Reactions: 3 total, +3 / 0, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2hj+1kpztp1hb

@2g2 I’ve seen plenty of directors and even a VP only spend a short amount of time in the office doing this same very thing. The hypocrisy of it all is astounding and yet somehow expected.

Reply 41 of 52, post ID @2pn+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2hj
• Reactions: 1 total, +1 / 0, net +1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2pn+1kpztp1hb

@2hj No one will be exempt from the reports that will be pulled. For those who think otherwise...FAFO

Reply 42 of 52, post ID @2qb+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2q5
• Reactions: 6 total, +3 / -3, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2qb+1kpztp1hb

@2q5 I heard there are people at frisco and Bellevue who tested positive for hantavirus Friday. Protect yourself! If you are in an office wear a N 95 mask!

Reply 43 of 52, post ID @2r2+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2pn
• Reactions: 0 total, 0 / 0, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2r2+1kpztp1hb

@2pn Pull what report. Person who comes, scan the badge and go will be always 3 days in the report. So what is the rule? scan and go or be in the office. My manager is next to me and I can’t scan and go. But, I see other team member does that.

Reply 44 of 52, post ID @2r7+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2q5
• Reactions: 2 total, +2 / 0, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2r7+1kpztp1hb

@2q5 Saves money not having to lay people off. Code name Uncarrier 73.6.0.

Reply 45 of 52, post ID @2rw+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2r2
• Reactions: 2 total, +2 / 0, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2rw+1kpztp1hb

@2r2 No longer just about badge scans. Time actually in the office will be captured to show how long the computer is active and on the office network each day. I'm sure some people will try to just park there computer on campus and leave. That behavior be sniffed out quickly.

Reply 46 of 52, post ID @2s6+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 11
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2rw
• Reactions: 4 total, +3 / -1, net +2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2s6+1kpztp1hb

@2rw I hope you are right, but I have not seen that in reality. Every month we are told by our manager that how many days each are in the office. NOT how long they are there. This is very frustrating for people who is actually in the office and other they CHEAT the system all the time. This needs to STOP now or other be flexible.

Reply 47 of 52, post ID @2tg+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 12
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 6 total, +6 / 0, net +6
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2tg+1kpztp1hb

The internal fighting that T-Mobile has created over who when and how long coworkers are in the office is lovely. They don’t need surveillance tools, just jealous tattletales or generally pi---d off peers. Great culture. [hash] we won’t stop

Reply 48 of 52, post ID @2v9+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 12
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 2tg
• Reactions: 3 total, +3 / 0, net +3
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2v9+1kpztp1hb

@2tg Rules for thee and not me...has never worked long term. It creates an environment that no one likes and pits people against each other. Eventually either the rules change, or "everyone" is held to the same standard. Time will tell.
[hash]We won't stop

Reply 49 of 52, post ID @2vb+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 12
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 12 total, +5 / -7, net -2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@2vb+1kpztp1hb

Bring it on. I want the lazy a$$es who have been milking the system for way too long, to at least have to pretend to be working 8 hours a day. At the end of the day, this is a management issue. People rise or fall based on what is expected from them.

Reply 50 of 52, post ID @31m+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 13
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: no post, opens a new line of discussion
• Reactions: 6 total, +2 / -4, net -2
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@31m+1kpztp1hb

RTO = dea th. Sreeney will k ill us all with the hantavirus epidemic. 🐀 🐀 🐀

Reply 51 of 52, post ID @31y+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 13
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 31m
• Reactions: 2 total, +1 / -1, net 0
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@31y+1kpztp1hb

@31m oh the d umba ss (who types like this) with the broken keyboard is back.

Reply 52 of 52, post ID @31z+1kpztp1hb

• Date: May 13
• Author: Anonymous (site default byline)
• In reply to: 31y
• Reactions: 1 total, +1 / 0, net +1
• Address: https://www.thelayoff.com/p/@31z+1kpztp1hb

@31y h a h a h a h a

How’s the first day back going in the 100% RTO sites?

We're hearing that January 2027 will be fulltime RTO in Rhode Island.

maybe I’m being impatient, but on the offboarding page it states that on our separation day we will receive an email to our personal email address with the instructions.

haven’t received anything yet. I have had to return equipment before and remember they sent the box to my house, then I went to FedEx, etc.

for those who have gone through offboarding, will this be the same process?

So…. Thoughts on the RTO expectations that shake out to 3/4 times per week? In case you didn’t see: 14 days per month. 4 days have to be M or F.

Considering a return to Citi. Is there any wiggle room on pro-rated severance repayment? How quickly does it need to be repaid?

I got laid off last year which was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

What has been happening since then? Is RTO still strict 5 days a week? Are they still tracking hours?

RTO is getting exciting. My work area is over capacity, so I’m assuming the normal agenda is:

8:55 - Make awkward eye contact with someone already sitting in a chair
8:57 - Still searching for a chair
9:00 - Find a chair
9:15 - Defend chair
9:30 - Establish territorial boundaries
10:00 - “Collaboration”
10:15 - Someone steals my chair

Next time put Musical Chairs Corporate Edition, in the calendar invite.

I’m exploring alternative workspaces. Current availability:

My assigned desk - occupied by someone who got here before sunrise

Conference room - booked through 2047

Phone booth - currently housing three people and a flute

Break room - apparently eating lunch is considered “collaboration”

Lobby - security says I can’t plug my laptop into the revolving door

Cafe - one table, 37 people, and someone has already claimed the outlet

Stairwell - “not an approved workspace,” despite having excellent acoustics

Bathroom - HR has asked that I stop referring to Stall #3 as my “private office”, also has excellent acoustics

Parking lot - Wi-Fi signal mysteriously disappears once I cross the property line

Elevator - currently occupied, but I’m confident I can squeeze in with my laptop and spend the day riding between floors while aggressively maintaining eye contact on Zoom

My car - becoming the strongest candidate

I’m sure leadership has a flexible solution.

Apparently “return to office” means return to the general vicinity of the office and figure the seating situation out amongst yourselves. Our return was planned, but seating wasn’t.

Is anyone’s office Management not enforcing RTO 5 days a week? My office, people come and go, no one ever works a full day, and bosses still let people work from home whenever they need to. Meanwhile I am in there everyday working a full day, full time schedule. WTF is going on with this company??? Total joke of a place. I heard some managers definitely not enforcing this new policy.

In my location nothing has changed. Desks with names printed on paper are still empty? So what was the point of this useless exersise other than to take away the last flex day for the de-valued teammates required to be in desks 40 hours? I hope leadership doesnt expect their gaslightling attempt to boost morale. Empty desks with a green circle speak for themselves.

Sorry to ask this here but are contractors required to go to office 3 days or there is no in office monitoring for contractors?

If executive logic dictates that the office is a temple of collaboration, the reality on the ground often resembles a sensory nightmare. The most glaring flaw in sweeping return-to-office mandates—at Fidelity and across the multinational financial sector—is a fundamental miscalculation of modern organizational geography.

The modern financial workforce is inherently distributed. A Vice President in Boston is rarely working exclusively with a team sitting on the same floor. Their direct reports, stakeholders, and project partners are spread across regional hubs in Rhode Island, Texas, Ireland, and India.

This creates the defining absurdity of the 2026 RTO push: the "Zoom-in-a-Room" paradox.

Workers are suffering grueling commutes, paying inflated prices for parking and gas, only to arrive at an open-plan desk to strap on noise-canceling headphones. They spend their required eight hours on the exact same Microsoft Teams and Zoom calls they would have taken from a quiet home office.

The Degradation of the Physical Space
The physical reality of the office has also degraded. During the pandemic, firms aggressively reconfigured their real estate, embracing "hot-desking" and "hoteling" to cut costs. Now that they are forcing the workforce back, the infrastructure is buckling.

Employees report arriving to find no available desks, forcing them to work from noisy cafeterias. The promised amenities that supposedly make the commute worthwhile—subsidized cafeterias, high-end coffee bars, dry cleaning services—have often been drastically reduced or eliminated entirely. Instead, workers describe environments that are loud, crowded, and lacking basic privacy.

When an employee says, "it's loud, it smells, and the services are terrible," they are pointing out the hypocrisy of the mandate. The C-suite demands a return to a premium, collaborative environment that simply no longer exists.

The Verdict: A Crisis of Purpose
This is the ultimate failure of the blunt-force RTO mandate. You cannot mandate cross-continental collaboration by forcing a local employee into a cubicle.

When workers are commanded to commute simply to stare at a screen and speak to people in different time zones, the office ceases to be a hub of innovation. It becomes a deeply inefficient call center.

If executives like Abigail Johnson truly want to foster mentorship and solve complex problems, they must acknowledge that the geography of work has permanently changed. Pretending that a Boston turnstile swipe somehow improves collaboration with a team in London is an exercise in corporate fiction. Until leadership recognizes that the office must serve a specific, intentional purpose rather than acting as a mandatory holding pen, the divide between the C-suite and the workforce will only widen.

Simple as that. Make RTO mandatory 5 days a week and 20% of the workforce would leave voluntarily. Easy as that.

I've heard 5, 6 and 7 as the minimun required for in-office RTO compliance
But someone just said 6.5

Employee: "I was hired as fully remote 3 years ago and moved my family closer to affordable housing."

HR: "We're updating our policy. You need to report to an office 3 hours away, 4 days a week, starting next month."

Employee: "That's impossible for my commute. Is there severance if I can't relocate?"

HR: "No. Failure to report will be classified as voluntary resignation."

Two weeks later, the CEO announced a "15% reduction in force with zero severance payouts" on an earnings call to boost quarterly margins.

Mandatory return-to-office mandates were never about corporate culture……they were a back-door layoff strategy designed to strip working families of unemployment benefits.

https://x.com/Leonajardinho/status/2089329108694323421

Is it still tracked ?

I just paid $4.29 for gas and dreading returning to office full time. Why isn’t Fidelity addressing this giant elephant in the room? This combined with everyday living expenses, how are people making it work?
If they want us back in full time, fine. But is now really the best time? They could let the dust settle, let prices come down, and then require full time back in office; we could continue our schedule we’ve been following for years now until then. It just seems completely tone deaf and I am sick of pretending this is fine and the new normal.

It is mid week now. Where is the post on virtuals getting notices to relocate to Dallas? It seems every week this insider has so much information about virtuals and the schedule for the follow the work letters.

Have the notices stopped going out to virtuals? Or are all virtuals gone? Or has the guy perpetuating this claim left the business?

Seems like employees received an email where they can no longer work 2 consecutive days WFH and need to be in the office for a 'full day'.... will TIAA be next? Anyone here have any insights or heard anything?

Whom do I have to email to get an RTO extension for another 6 months? My manager and AVP said it’s not possible. Did anyone have any luck getting it extended? I really need it due to personal issues and other things that I can’t put a name to.

I vaguely recall an RTO mandate going out not long after I left. What actually happened? I can't see them enforcing this when half of us were made remote through COVID

Will all the dinosaurs will go extinct after RTO ? or they will flourish ?

Software org got it first. Curious if other orgs are hearing the same thing. This is more restrictive than pre covid now.

Someone is abusing the original goal of this site by constantly discussing RTO and tracking data.

If you got a job and worried about RTO, then maybe LinkedIn and Reddit is where you should be. To keep discussing RTO here is ridiculous while people worried about overall job security.

Just received my notice to return into the office.

Another item for your reading pleasure. Doubtful that Stinkey has read this one.

https://enhancv.com/blog/rto-stealth-layoffs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Ya don't say!!! For your reading pleasure. Wonder if Stinkey has read this.

https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5992056-office-attendance-backlash/

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article316697404.html