‘Just let the cubicles go please’: Expert says return-to-office is costing the average worker $561 a month
As the work from home momentum the pandemic brought begins to slow down, workers are growing increasingly more at odds with employers implementing in-office mandates. The costs associated with being in the office are cited as one of the main reasons to let workers continue to work-from-home, with some experts finding that in-office work can cost workers $561 of monthly out-of-pocket expenses.
TikTok user Morgan (@resumeofficial) is a professional resume writer and their bio states that they are a "Gen Z in HR." In the video, Morgan walks us through an article published by Fortune titled, "Employees are spending the equivalent of a month’s grocery bill on the return to the office—and growing more resentful than ever, new survey finds."
"Executives have admitted they don't have data to support going back to the office, but they're still comfortable having you spend $561 a month on it. Usually, when we see a return office mandate, they talk about the culture. But here's the thing. When you take away people's flexibility and have them start spending more money on a commute, they end up more burned down, stressed," Morgan states.
The video has over 398,000 views and over 1,500 comments as of Sunday afternoon.
The article published in Fortune goes over several other reasons workers feel fatigued by going back to the office. Commute times are another big reason. Commutes that are 30-45 minutes or more have been noted to negatively impact stress levels and overall well-being. Another reason is the loss of time and flexibility to switch between office and home tasks.
Being able to switch out loads of laundry in between meetings, starting to prep food for dinner during your lunch break or taking a moment to sign for a package that would have been sent back if you weren't home to sign for it. These kinds of comforts actually make employee's happier and contribute to productivity at work.
Comments on Morgan's video couldn't agree more with what she's saying.
@resumeofficial Just let the cubicles go please #remotework #returntooffice #remotejobs #commute #corporate #corporateculture #officelife #work #careeradvice #jobseeker #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Morgan - Resume Writer ???? ✨
"It’s so bizarre, it’s better for the environment, it’s cheaper for employees. And employers could save money on office space. Like why go back," mentions one comment.
"Commute, proper clothes, shoes etc, food, coffee….it adds up!!" adds another comment.
"We just implemented return to office - parking alone is $200 a month. (10$ a day) and it’s out of our pocket - not reimbursed," shares another.
Companies should be wary of implementing back-to-the-office mandates if they are citing office culture as the main reason. What use is an office where the culture is people being resentful about being there?
The Daily Dot has reached out to Morgan for comment via email.
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