Thread regarding IBM layoffs

RTW does not make sense unilaterally. For a company that sells remote work enablement software, it sends the wrong message to our customer base. Just like Zoom forcing employees back to the office. "Hi, our products don't actually work, go back to the office, and stop buying them". Sort of like Medical professions who hide behind a lead wall, and bulletproof glass telling you the machine is safe.

In our Manager AMA, RTW is to push localization of teams. Anyone not in a primary site will be on the short list. Managers must be colocated. Some teams are using this as a way to get people to quit, less severance.

I left ibm last year. The recommendation at the time was 2 days in the office. But one day where all team should be present, for example a Wednesday. After rob Thomas's collocation decision a few years ago (to have staff leave), i knew it was only a matter of time before it went to 3, then 4 etc. And the offices i worked at were old, drabby and very hard to concentrate with people chatting, walking past your desk etc

@4khm+1otjce1G - You haven't been paying attention if you think that RTO is going to stop at 3 days/week. Once it gets established they will remind us that 3 days is the "minimum" and recommend 5. Then early next year 5 days will become mandatory.

The ongoing WFH / RTO discussion is getting so inane these days. IBM is not asking us to return to the office 5 days out of the week. They asking for 3 days out of the week, which is quite reasonable. Now I am sure, as grown adults, we can all speak to our managers about some flexibility in our schedules to eke out another day based on credible reasons. Let’s just stop thinking that IBM has negative reasons for RTO. After all, it is a business, and it has offices where work needs to get done by people. We should just be thankful that we aren’t required to go in daily.

My company tried a few months ago to mandate a mandatory 3 days a week in the office. The entire workforce ignored the directive. Now, it's like it never happened. Unlike IBM my company wants to hold onto its employees. They've bitten the bullet and are downsizing offices around the world. Better to adjust to reality than try to shape reality to fit whatever misguided outcome you want to happen.

Teach them a lesson and just take a slip and fall.

Rob…if it’s my job to mentor you IN PERSON, then I can understand the mandate. However, if you need to be able to disrupt MY productivity to grow YOUR skills, that’s not OK. I invested my own personal time to grow my skills. At home, over weekends, on vacations. This was long before the incredible resources were available 24x7 online. Todays new hires need to develop more independence, before they’re completely displaced.

@ujv+1otjce1G Remote work is not what's ki-ling IBM's service business, offshoring to low skilled workers in India started that process a long time ago.

IBM: we’re doing our part to curb (so called) global warming.

Also IBM: everyone get in your gas powered cars and drive to work despite the fact that you can do your job from home.

I can literally name 20 different reasons why not to force it regardless of what others are doing.... actually others doing it alone isn't even a good enough reason. There are other ways to micromanage employees when the business is failing that doesn't also stress them out and insult their intelligence as well.

Most IBM customers are going back in the office, why not IBM if your job requires it. This working at home thing is ki-ling IBM’s service business for sure.

...If anyone needs hand holding and doesn't take that initiative themselves then they should have an active manager that will make that decision for them.

Not mandate it.

Does this translate directly to 'we hate you and want you to leave'?
Not at all.
Think about avg programmer like me; I am a relatively new comer to the team. I need hand holding (you can call it pair programming or mentoring) to bring me upto speed.
Can I not do it via webex ? Sure I can ...But is it efficient to have boots on ground ? Absolutely.

So does it need to be 3 days a week ? Not in my opinion, maybe once or twice would be good enough. Again, you can check with your manager for special consideration. If you mandate for 3 days, maybe you will get 3 or 2 or 1 days from population.
Pretty much everyone in tech industry is going back to office. so why shouldn' IBM do that ?

When was this announced and how?
I have seen no emails…

do you think this will apply to all BU ? I've been asking for clarity for weeks when I'm over 50 miles from the local office and spend 7-9 am commuting in instead of doing meaningful work. Let's not even mention what time I have to leave in order to pick my daughter up on time from school.

I was hoping they would start to make it make SOME sense.