My manager told our team that we'll be assigned seats, and it sounds like this is happening throughout the entire building—not just our group.
Has anyone else experienced this?
I'm curious whether assigned seating is a sign of a broader return-to-office plan or just a way to better organize the workspace.
@aw You make a joke, but sensors will be coming. I know it.
@dp USB does layoffs in waves to avoid WARN filings. They can free up space for assigned seating without having to worry about a WARN notice. Ask T. Sherminator from HR.
@bm that would be enough people for a WARN act and the bank doesn’t do WARN acts
Assigned seats? There goes my phart and phlee bit.
@bc USB owns Minneapolis Plaza and a small number of other buildings through the country.
@OP Other poster is right. The biggest hub is the Twin Cities and none of the buildings except branches are actually owned by USB. Except for West Side Flats there is plenty of room in Hopkins and the Plaza. Might get a little full once Nicollet folks come over, but it won’t be over-capacity. I don’t think any layoffs will happen to make room in the Twin Cities.
@bg You mean the way it's been for two years? Yeah.
@b5 They will free up space by laying people off.
@b7 no it does not. Stop it. There are certain hubs that assigned seating will work because there is room and other hubs where it will not.
I heard theres going to be unassigned seats for people who are using temporary or from other hub locations.
@a6 They don’t “own” USB Plaza in Minneapolis. They are not renewing the lease at the Nicollet Mall location a couple of blocks away and are moving everyone to the Plaza. They don’t own the Hopkins or West Side Flats locations. The Twin Cities is a big hub. How much of this real estate you are talking about do they actually own that people actually work in besides branches? I don’t think real estate is the reason. Not saying you’re wrong but….,
There are tons of hubs that have way too many people/seat to do the assigned seating/5 days per week. Until they acquire significant more real estate in those cities, it’s not happening. Even as they consolidate “growth hubs” in each LOB, this won’t solve the problems given the hubs are not consistent across the company. Even if 100’s people quit at once in some locations, it will not have enough space for 1:1 seating. When you see the bank acquiring more floors or buildings, that is when I would worry about 5 days/week.
I also heard that from your wife…
They have placed sensors and listening devices into the chairs. They will track your butt in seat time as well as everything you say. They have been installing these electronics at night. And yes, it's going to 5 days a week in office. My wife's hairdressers husband heard it from the mailman whose wife knows someone way up the food chain.
Completely agree.
These “listened to your feedback” announcements are nothing more than their way to advance their agenda without being forthcoming.
Read between the lines and question everything.
They're spinning it as an example of listening to our feedback.
However.
The Bank does nothing that isn't in their own best interest. This is absolutely a preamble to RTO being changed to five days a week.
This move sets them up perfectly for justifying it due to their real estate holdings. Because rather than be progressive or God forbid an industry leader, they chose to maintain largely or fully empty buildings for almost four years.
Returning to five days a week would also drive the attrition they're so desperate to see so they can offshore more of our jobs to save money on labor without having to pay us severance, which further saves them money.
@OP this is old news. Was in the intranet 3 weeks ago.
My hub in Portland is switching to assigned seats.
I thought it was just my group.
We can bring our personal stuff back if we want.
Don't forget to ask for a laptop lock.