A renewed return-to-office push is drawing criticism after an employee shared details of how their workplace is preparing to bring staff back after nearly three years of remote work. The company has asked employees to report to the office three days a week, starting next month, marking a sharp shift from its long-standing work-from-home arrangement.
The transition, however, appears poorly planned. During the pandemic, the organisation downsized its office footprint. As a result, there are now fewer desks than employees. To manage this gap, the company has introduced a hot-desking system, requiring employees to reserve seats through an app each day. This has removed both the flexibility of remote work and the sense of personal space many workers previously had.
A visit to the office revealed tightly-packed desks with minimal separation, offering little privacy. Shared infrastructure also seems inadequate. The floor reportedly has only a couple of small meeting rooms, making collaboration difficult. Even basic necessities such as WiFi appear strained, with connectivity issues surfacing despite low occupancy during trial visits.
The return-to-office rule is also creating friction in hiring. Candidates, especially at senior levels, are frequently seeking clarity on remote or hybrid flexibility. Hiring managers now have to communicate that office attendance is non-negotiable, which is limiting the talent pool and slowing recruitment efforts.
Adding to the frustration is the office setup itself. The furniture and layout suggest a cost-cutting approach, with an emphasis on fitting as many people as possible into a limited space rather than creating a functional work environment.
Overall, employees feel the mandate is less about productivity or collaboration and more about justifying real-estate costs. The situation has sparked wider online discussions about whether companies are prioritising office leases over employee experience as return-to-office policies expand.
