Thread regarding Wells Fargo & Co. layoffs

Not going to happen for the majority. They need the RTO application in place before the masses go back. It will be first of year at best before the app is there. Then it will be a controlled release based on need.

There are some departments going back sooner.

They have not decided that everyone is going back in Nov. The last notice is the decision has been pushed and 11/1 is the date as of when the communication was sent. It's changed every month.

There is a big project for a RTO(return to office) application to manage the whole process. Seating and everything else will be handled by the application. I would expect that when that is ready we will start a wave of of people going back based on true business need.

I'd be surprised if the app is ready before EOY plus we will probably see another explosion of cases stemming from this holiday weekend.

I keep getting these notices that one or more people have coronavirus in my building. They say they are cleaning after every infection notice, with extra cleanings daily. They say the elevators are restricted to only 2 or 3, everyone wears masks, cafeteria is closed, and the HVAC has UV light to sterilize. All these new safety protocols and yet the notices just keep coming. I don’t see how we can safely return. Clearly all the new rules are already a failure, as employees keep getting sick. This virus seems to spread quickly indoors.

How productive will we be, worried about this, afraid to use the bathroom, eating at our desks, each day wondering if we are bringing it home to our families?

@2esv I work in a large office too, and that's something the branch people don't get. We walk in with hundreds of other people, cram the elevators, share bathrooms with hundreds, etc. Our cubes are crammed together. We too have had many COVD cases. I don't think that compares to a branch where you have what, like 10 people? You can keep your distance from the customers.

While my building is only 2 floors, there's only 2 elevators (which I don't use), but only 2 (men/women) bathrooms on each floor for what must be at least 1000 people. It's configured with the new sh*t Shoebox, uh, Workplace 2020 config (6x8 cubes, low walls and thankfully not shared cubes for now).

The building already had multiple COVID infections and that's with the building being pretty much empty. I can see a serious outbreak if they force everybody back in the next couple months.

Captain ChaiN likes to force people who worked at home forever successfully back in even know they may not support any businesses in a building. Hopes you will quit.

Keep griping and maybe you’ll get your wish to stay home permanently. Get over yourselves. Front line employees have been working face to face with customers throughout the entire pandemic.

@1dhy: I can only speak for WFA, but we have been told we are returning to the office Nov 01. That date has been pushed back several times now, but they sound like they want to try to make this one stick.

I, myself, did not see the video OP is talking about from Scott Powell.

They ain't gonna be able to fast-track sh– once the outbreaks start absent Congress passing something to give corporations immunity - despite Charlies intentions

For those who are saying you will continue to wfh and not go back on the current proposed date of Nov 01: Do you feel like you are going to have that choice? Or are you planning to try to advocate for yourself with your manager? If so, please share your thoughts if you’re in the mood.

More and more info is coming out about the aerosols coming from people breathing and talking in closed environments, being carried through the room depending on the HVAC airflow. And I have ZERO faith in the cleanliness of the air in our building. There are literally inches of thick dust laying on top of our ceiling lights, it’s disgusting. Our managers can go close themselves in their offices, but most of us can’t.

And then, many of us are on the phone all day and our new phones are so cheap that people couldn’t understand us before Covid without a mask. I just don’t see how they are going to pull it off.

Waiting to see what changes are being made to the huge cube farms most of us work in. Between 7:30-9:00 and 3:30 - 5:30 it’s like cattle at the elevators all fighting trying to get in. No thank you I will continue to wfh, don’t feel safe going in.

I’d so much rather have to send my company things back in 10 different envelopes than risk getting Covid so I can have the added humiliation of everyone around me watching me take the long walk to get canned

@1vur makes a smart point, that Wells is going to try to bring us back in order to facilitate layoffs before the end of the year. That is the classic time of year for companies to execute staff cuts. They may not be able to force us back due to Covid, but it sure looks like they want to try.

I’ve heard that the process for returning equipment from employee homes, even just for people who are leaving on their own, is expensive and burdensome. Different pieces of equipment in different envelopes going to different destinations. Someone at Wells has to pack up personal items left in desks and offices and ship those items back to the employee. (Noting they don’t want you back in the building even if you quit on your own. Definitely not if you’ve been severed.) I’m sure there’s a lot more to it that we don’t know.

Bottom line is, the lay-off process will be much easier/smoother for Wells Fargo if we’re all back in the office. Not saying it’s all going to happen at once, but we’re looking at 1 out 4 employees could be on the chopping block. Charlie has a plan, and probably an ultimate timeline, and the clock is ticking.

I didn't get what everyone here is reading. The post said location essential employees would be returning to/operating in an office location. If you don't have to be on-site, don't expect to be on-site.

So many jobs do not require being on-site under the current conditions.

I had to go into the office in July- the social distanciing has been set up for a while. Lots of signs.

@1upl: You make a good point. We should be glad that we don’t have to work in a branch and be exposed to the public all day. You could have had more impact without starting out by calling people babies. If you hadn’t had that tone, I would have liked to engage you and ask what that’s been like for you. Oh well.

Packed like sardines. Layoffs by chainsaw, then those who are left get to go back into the office - less people. Smh, its about to get interesting. The end of 2020 is right around the corner. I bet they want to get people off the books before starting out 2021.

Hope not! Building is older, elevator can take one at a time and it is slow. Pathways around the office floor are too narrow. At least two have had COVID and the local branch has had COVID, requiring closure for a deep clean. The building isn't configured for what is needed to keep all safe.Two restrooms on the floor to accommodate over 20. Not a good situation.

WFC has been behind on workplace for so long. Historically, a very liberal company with respect to working remotely but in the last 7 years it’s gone down hill with the whole dumb workplace 2020 configuration, packing us in like sardines to “spur innovation “. Lol! All while the rest of the world was moving away from that because no one can concentrate when your coworkers are basically sitting on your lap. Then the push to hubs. Now. A pandemic. The whole office design is shot. We’ve evolved as a world to work from home/anywhere and proved the model works for 6 months. Yet these incompetent id–ts want us back in the office probably to share (“rent”) a cube where the last guy has his boogers and nasty all over it and the lazy cleaning staff don’t clean it. All while the other companies and world are embracing working from anywhere. We’ve literally gone so backwards the last 7 years

The golden elevator key! You either get that or a package.

@1upl, jealous? Don't worry; your branch may be closing soon.

You people are babies. We never got to leave the branches. Most branches are fully now with customers inside all day long. Try working in a branch face to face with customers all day in a social security deposit day. Then you’ll appreciate your cushy office jobs with no customers.

@1sgn, I know what you are saying sounds extreme, but you may be right. These people are completely negligent and heartless. I hope they plan on getting sued.

every month they push it back. Doubt it will happen in November just like every other date this year that has been postponed.

Don't count on it until 2021

It’s part of the long term strategy. Send people back to the office, if they catch Covid and die, it’s basically like they got laid off. Big win for Chainsaw Chucky!

While other companies, such as Google, Facebook, etc., are allowing their employees to work remotely through July 2021, WF is planning for their employees to return to the office in November. How did they come up with that month/date?

I know SVB needs to act like he is working and making changes to save WF, but this is downright negligent. I won't be going into the office in November and I am positive others won't be either.

I am not sure how they have decided we need to go back to the office in November. Have all the work places been reconfigured for social distancing?

This is a problem and I think there is going to be a lot of pushback on this by employees.

Like cattle to the slaughterhouse, come to work and catch a virus too.

Yay!! Finally. The WFH thing just destroyed my mental health.

Sounds like we will go back soon, maybe starting in November. The new Back To Work website has been stood up, with info, videos, location info by mac address of building. You’ll need to come in earlier, to get in line at the elevator, then spend 30 minutes cleaning your desk, which will be a hot desk, shared among many.