‘Very Close to A Deal Breaker:’ Tech Workers Are Not Interested in Returning to the Office

Tech workers are not interested in the idea of going into an office all day after experiencing remote work in the wake of the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

In one example, Google Maps employees — who were called back into the office five days a week, starting June 6 — fought back and won a temporary reprieve, according to a report by NPR.

“Nothing will change other than having a couple snacks in our office and having an in-person meeting. We’re kind of starting to think that this job isn’t worth it,” explained Jonathan Pruiett, a geospatial analyst who updates Google maps for a living.

The Google Maps workers, who are employed by the tech company Cognizant, connected with the Alphabet Workers Union and signed a petition citing alleged coronavirus fears, high gas prices, and employees’ increase in productivity and morale derived from working remotely.

Hours later, Cognizant granted the Google Maps workers a reprieve, informing employees that they will now be expected to return to the office on September 6, instead.

Pruiett, however, called the decision a 90-day band-aid and vowed to continue the fight to work from home.

While Google Maps workers are being told that anyone who fails to report within three days of their return date will be considered as having abandoned their job, other employers are taking a different approach.

Susan Nealon, the chief marketing officer at the management consulting firm, Eagle Hill Consulting, whose workforce is mostly comprised of young people, says she would like to see employees come into the office when it makes sense.

Nealon, who recently organized an in-person event to get members of her team together for their first face-to-face meeting in more than two years, says she thinks workers might be happier and more productive if they get to come into the office for team meetings at optimal times, rather than fight rush-hour traffic every day to be in the office from nine to five.

“I view the office changing,” Nealon said. “It’ll be less about the individual work getting done, and more about the group work getting done.”

Jason Carrier, a senior associate who used to spend four days a week in the office and one day at a client site, added that the idea of working in an office all day, every day, is “probably very close to a deal breaker at this point.”

“It’s hard to even fathom going into the office 100 percent,” said Fara John-Williams, who started at the company in May. “I don’t think I could do it ever again.”

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.