During the pandemic when people had no other choice but to stay home, remote work has been normalized in many companies to make sure that they remain operational despite the lockdown. Everything has since been back to normal, but some prefer to retain their remote setups. Employees from Dell might have to rethink that will the latest change.
Remote Workers are Ineligible for Promotions
The tech company recently announced that employees who choose to work from home will not be considered for promotions. The only way around it is to work in the nearest "approved offices" at least three days a week.
This comes as a surprise to some employees, especially since company CEO Michael Dell once openly supported remote work, even going as far as saying that in-office work is "forced hours," and that remote work is just as effective.
Dell, the executive, wrote on LinkedIn that several of his fellow tech industry CEOs have pushed to get their teams back into physical offices so that they can "engage more fully," or be a more visible presence, as mentioned in Gizmodo.
"But from my experience, if you are counting on forced hours spent in a traditional office to create collaboration and provide a feeling of belonging within your organization, you're doing it wrong," the tech executive added.
Michael Dell was even proud to say that the company offered equal opportunities for career advancement to 90% of employees, and that they were capable of developing and learning new skills whether they worked remotely or on-site.
It's why the Dell company's memo contradicts that outlook, stating that for remote members, "it is important to understand the trade-offs: Career advancement, including applying to new roles in the company, will require a team member to reclassify as hybrid onsite."
Amazon Has a Similar Policy
Dell is not the first tech company to issue a policy that requires workers to put in hours in the office, and it's likely that they won't be the last. In 2023, Amazon already required its workers to return on-site, also saying that promotion is out of the picture for those who refuse.
Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser said that there were a "variety of factors we consider when determining an employee's readiness for the next level," and that like any company, they expect employees who are being considered for promotion to comply with policies, as per CNN.
Company CEO Andy Jassy expressed that collaborating and inventing is easier and more effective in person, and reportedly told employees that it's not going to work out for them if they don't comply with the new mandate.
Amazon staff was also required to do in-office work at least three days a week. Employees tried to resist the mandate at first, even staging a walkout to address the back-to-office policy, as well as other grievances.
Not all employees will have an easier time adjusting to the new (old) normal, especially those who were hired during the pandemic with the promise that on-site work was not a requirement. Some had no choice but to resign since there were no offices close to where they lived.
