Beyond the individual contributor roles (many subpar in market pay) upper leaders remain stodgy. Younger Gen-X/older millennial leaders have left in droves the past few years. Besides the low pay, they basically encouraged us to treat our direct reports like children. As a middle manager, I was tasked to parrot the return to office mandate propaganda to my team of professional, exempt employees - some who previously worked from home pre-Covid. Upper leaders grew tired of hearing employees resist: even though the feedback was mostly reflective of positive benefits: such as how work life balance and productivity soared for many during WFH. Leaders responded by upping the stakes- mandatory for all, no grandfathering, badge scan attendance reports, performance plans- tasked us with delivering the news under the “because we said so” parental power card. There’s no rational basis as in office days are spent on Teams calls with our colleagues spread around the globe. Our Employees are smart - educated- and they could see through the narrative. Also, the new open floor plan completed during Covid is a vector of noise and distraction. Pre-Covid at least coming in the office you had a place to go. It’s literally turning into a high school complete with lockers. Employees went to college to be professionals. But yet leaders treated us all as if we were children again. I never signed up to be a teacher taking attendance. To micromanage time. There’s no reason to put the people unlucky enough to live within 50 miles on performance plan. These employees worked so hard during Covid. And leaders rewarded with a bait and switch then act shocked when engagement scores keep going down.
