But I Don’t Want To Go To Work! – Or – What To Do When Your Employer Says It’s Time To Come Back To The Office

Your professional life may not be a smooth ride. Think of the labor market as a pendulum. One moment it swings toward employers. The next moment it swings to employees. The pandemic disrupted that pattern and had two significant impacts: what is now called The Great Resignation and the normalization of remote work.

A tug-of-war about the future of remote work has been going on for a couple of years now. Let’s start with the good news. Remote work is a big hit – with employees and employers. If you’re currently in a remote job or want one, the data looks good. Many companies are continuing to allow employees to work remotely, and others are staking out the middle ground with hybrid models.

However, the pendulum is slowly swinging back to employers, who feel empowered and in control again. Companies that wish for their employees to return to the office will start to issue ultimatums to existing employees and make new open positions in-office only. If you’re one of the 26.7% of working Americans in a fully remote job and your company tells you it’s time to pull the plug and return to the office, what do you do? Here are some things to consider:

• Breathe. Know that fundamental shifts take time, like turning a big ship. While circumstances vary, companies are not likely to pull remote workers back in one swift move. Upheaval is what led to the historic rise in remote work in the first place. Upheaval as a strategy to return workers to the office makes the transition more difficult for all. Return to the office may be phased in until the staffing structures return to pre-pandemic levels.

• Take a holistic approach to make an honest self-assessment of your desires and opportunities. Whether you’re currently working remotely or want to, know there are risks, rewards, and sacrifices to planting your flag in the remote camp and returning to the office. Only you can determine the best way forward.

•  For the sake of argument, let’s say you know a return-to-the-office mandate is on the way and it comes with a hard deadline. You can accept the new terms or you’re out of a job. You know you have two options – stay or leave. Take the time to think about the steps you need to take to successfully navigate both. Is returning to the office such a bad thing? Or would you rather risk finding a new remote job? You can also bide your time – go back to the office while looking for another remote opportunity.

• Have an open discussion with your manager. If a mandate is inevitable, get as much clarity as you can about how it will progress. Don’t make assumptions or let rumors give you unnecessary anxiety. There may be no flexibility. But, in some cases, you may be able to make the business case that you remain fully or partially remote.

• If you can make the case to remain fully or partially remote, you must be able to present evidence (like you’re in a courtroom) to prove you add more value remotely than in-office. It can’t be a 1-1 proposition. If you add the same value remotely as you do in-office, then you’re headed back to the office or somewhere else. Companies expect a healthy ROI on their investments and that includes staffing. If you’re remote, you don’t have the same visibility as someone who is in the office; your work may be invaluable but there may not be a clear understanding that you’re responsible for it. Lay out your case.

•  You may be in an office job now but, encouraged by recent trends, want to work remotely. The number of fully remote workers is expected to increase, but that doesn’t mean opportunities will increase in your field. For example, if you work in IT, which already had a fair number of remote workers pre-pandemic, you’re going to have more remote work opportunities in the future than someone who works in retail. Do your homework before you choose a path. Monitor job openings. If the remote job postings dwindle and become super-competitive, assess your parameters for how you make a living. In other words, is a having a job that doesn’t offer working remotely as an option a deal breaker?

• Job security means something different to a parent with a house full of kids than it does to young professionals at the dawn of their careers. There is reason to believe that remote workers are the first to be fired. That’s not a guarantee. Everybody’s circumstances are different, but you may be more vulnerable than your co-workers. Once again, when you work remotely, you’re less visible than in-office employees. Out of sight out, out of mind. Rank your job requirements and see where job security falls in comparison with the benefits you may gain working remotely.

• If you’re uncompromising about working remotely, 16% of U.S. businesses are fully remote. Here is twenty-five of them. Put in the time and effort to learn about companies with full or majority remote workers and see if you discover endeavors perfect for you.

• The pendulum will continue to swing, and the tug-of-war about the future of remote work is likely to continue on different fronts (e.g., the future may be hybrid). This is a fluid situation. Monitor the tea leaves. See which way the wind blows. As always, do your homework. The only way to make informed decisions is to keep yourself informed.

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.