Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Ford know exactly what they’re doing. They force people back to the office, fully aware that many will quit rather than comply. It’s a calculated move, fewer severance payouts, no unemployment costs, and a cleaner reputation than official layoffs. If they admitted the truth, there’d be backlash but frame it as “collaboration” or “culture” and suddenly no one questions it. The worst part is that the outdated boomer narrative still lets them get away with it. It’s not about work it’s about control and cost-cutting, wrapped in buzzwords.
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Not even really disguised it clearly shouts “We’re downsizing”!
Untargeted layoffs are a great way to lose valuable employees.
I have a friend who does customer service for Sherwin Williams in Cleveland. They just built a new office downtown and did surveys during construction to determine how many offices and parking spaces they would need for everyone doing hybrid work. Last month they announced that everyone needs to return to office. Except the building was designed for a fraction of the staff
Almost the same thing happened at my company. First, they reduced most of the offices, then they tried to force everyone back. Luckily somehow my team managed to stay remote on new contracts.
String them along as long as possible and be clear that you don’t want to resign. Get another remote job at the same time the RTO mandates are, and then burn through all PTO, sick time, and good will always saying “sorry logistics, I’ll be in office soon”.
Do this until they fire you and give you severance. If they don’t fire you, you’ve called their bluff for now and can think over the following weeks about getting your free time back by deciding which job to keep.
You’ll have the leverage to stand with your fellow employees while coming out ahead, at the expense of your free time for several months.
Spot on. The “culture” excuse just hides who really benefits from RTO.
No shit. What we gonna do about it, though? What can be done about it?
MS is done for after the AI bubble pops anyway… they went head first, no safeties and have prioritized next quarter results over any strategy long term position