3 becomes 4, 4 becomes 5.

22 Oct 3 becomes 4, 4 becomes 5.

Image created by me using Canva.

Hmm. It’s almost like someone should have warned you a long time ago that hybrid was a stepping stone to full RTO. Oh wait! I did!

➡️ The article itself says people who want to RTO hit an all-time low last month, then turns around and claims that hybrid work is best. Sorry, I don’t buy that. This is the same work style being dubbed a “hell of half measures.” I have predicted this before and will do so again: I think for offices not wanting to be as mercenary as Lord Elon, we will see a push towards hybrid work. Then when most people aren’t happy with it and it feels disjointed, those offices will say, “OK, fine. No more remote work. You are to be here, butt-in-seat, Monday through Friday or there’s the door.”

Here’s what I see playing out. I think a lot of these companies- some of them will just say, “Look: RTO or it’s your job.” They’re gonna go the Elon Musk route and just say, “Look, you either come back full time, eight to five, Monday through Friday, butt in seat in the cube farm, or there’s the door. Oh, and by the way, we’re in a recession. So choose wisely.” They’re either going to do that, or they’re going to do this hell of half measures hybrid bullcrap of, “Well, OK, come on back two or three days a week, we’ll give you some flexibility. We’ll let you choose some of those days or all of those days, but you know, we’re going to be butt-in-seat two or three times out of the week.” When everybody starts to complain about how that’s not working – it’s too chaotic, it’s too weird – sometimes Sally’s here. Sometimes she’s not. Sometimes I see Billy on Tuesdays. Sometimes I see him on Fridays. Things are just chaotic. They’ll say, “OK, great. Come on back permanently. There’s no more work from home. There’s no more remote.”
–https://www.buzzsprout.com/1125110/11144066  published August 20, 2022

Hybrid work, IMO, will likely be used as a stepping stone to full-on RTO. Wait and see.

–https://causeyconsultingllc.com/2022/08/23/i-told-you-so-%f0%9f%8e%b6/  published on August 23, 2022.

–https://causeyconsultingllc.com/2023/04/30/i-warned-you-about-hybrid-%e2%9e%a1%ef%b8%8f-rto/

I warned you last year that this was on the horizon and many times since then.

Nike: Just RTO four days a week

Starting in January, Nike employees will have to spend at least four days each week in the office, as the sportswear giant strengthens its return-to-office requirements. Currently, Nike workers only need to work in-person three days a week, OregonLive reports, but the company hopes to foster more “power and energy” with the new policy. Nike employs a total of 84,000 employees with offices around the world, and its size and industry leadership could prompt companies to beef up their own RTO mandates.

Earlier this week, Roblox also moved away from its fully remote policy, announcing staff will need to work in-person three days per week by next summer or leave the company.

–https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/nike-just-rto-four-days-a-week-5809268/

Everyone go home to “flatten the curve.” ➡️ OK, now come back 3 days a week because we need collaboration and togetherness and blah blah blah. ➡️ Now come back 4 days a week because we need “power and energy” around the office.

How difficult would it be to say, “Come back Monday through Friday or leave. Full stop.” ? Not very.

Also take note of this: “Nike employs a total of 84,000 employees with offices around the world, and its size and industry leadership could prompt companies to beef up their own RTO mandates.”

It’s a bit like, “Hint, hint. Here’s what’s coming next, y’all.”