Dell's plan to force workers back to the office doesn't appear to have worked very well

Many Dell workers are sacrificing job opportunities to stay remote, which they say offers more benefits than office work.

Jun 21, 2024 - 14:30

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Dell's plan to force workers back to the office doesn't appear to have worked very well

Dell’s effort to get more workers into the office has been met with worker resistance, with only around half choosing to accept the consequences of staying remote, a report has claimed.

The company announced plans earlier this year to bring more workers back into the office, with employees under pressure to classify themselves as remote or hybrid.

What is essentially an easy decision regarding working setup was fraught with pressure imposed by the company – hybrid workers would need to be in the office 39 days per quarter, and remote workers would effectively surrender their rights to promotions.

Workers aren’t happy with Dell’s RTO plans

Speaking with a group of Dell employees, Business Insider found the positive impacts associated with remote working, enforced by the pandemic four years ago, continue to have significant influence over working setups today.

Many reported that the freedom and flexibility could not be replaced, while others made remarks about the amount of money they were able to save by not commuting.

Others noted that, due to the already hybrid nature of the work and the fact that they collaborate with colleagues all over the world, there’s little benefit to basing themselves in a formal office.

Dell isn’t the only company facing pushback regarding its return-to-office mandate, and the problem isn’t new. Most companies have already starting enforcing such rules, with the likes of Google even trying to attract workers with hotel deals to get them back behind their desk.

What has become more apparent in recent years is the clear divide between worker and company sentiment. While remote working has been shown, in some studies, to have a slightly negative impact on productivity, workers are arguing that the drop isn’t enough to warrant them spending hundreds or thousands of dollars each year on commuting.

TechRadar Pro offered Dell the opportunity to confirm and clarify some information, but the company did not respond.