Remote work is now a big part of the future, the pandemic put it on the fast track. The big issue is it happened so fast, large parts of the economy weren’t and aren’t yet prepared for such a large shift so quickly. Communications is one part of the economy that is ready to support remote work in many areas of the country due to the availability of faster internet speeds, cellphones/VoIP and remote software, ie.. Zoom, Teams, etc.. There was a huge focus during the pandemic to upgrade comm. transportation and facilities infrastructure for remote workers, still a ways to go.
Currently, RTO is being implemented by a lot companies across the country, it is due too so many employees going virtual during the pandemic. Virtual at this much larger scale is negatively impacting the economy at the fed, state and local levels and in nearly all downtown businesses and commercial spaces.
It’s impacting both Wall and Main Streets, examples; REITs, all the vacant buildings, loss of property values, building leases not being resigned, it has or will happen soon if a large % of pandemic employees don’t RTO. It is impacting all forms of transportation, parking fees, restaurants, gas stations, retail, child care, lodging, entertainment, conference spaces, service and hospitality, local mom & pop, tax revenues, etc… The wealthy and large investors are pulling all the levers to get medium/large companies and government officials to force RTO, you are naive if you believe otherwise, Money talks!
AT&T CEO Stanky’s twist on RTO, is to report to a specific hub that requires a large % of virtual employees to make a decision to quit/retire or relocate. It’s a clumsy and thinly veiled layoff plan as everybody knows. Even if you decide to follow the work, there are no guarantees how long you will continue to have that position or be forced to move again. It’s happened before to employees, on a smaller scale. Once leadership gets to their headcount number, look for things to become more relaxed, at least until the next crisis.
Not news but Layoffs, AI and outsourcing to contractors is the company’s plan going forward and that isn’t guaranteed either. Basically employment becomes gig work without the benefits, you are only employed for the project or duration of a contract and they change contractors constantly. Contracting out to the lowest bid, this path leads to the loss of the Middle Class in America and benefits, maybe you got your’s already but what about your kids and grandkids? There needs to be an update of US labor/wage laws and regs for the future due to no consequences for corporate elite, AI, contracting and outsourcing across the country.
Good luck to all and may you prayerfully make the best decision for you and your family!