Charter engineer quits over "reckless" rules against work-from-home

[jayfish]

Source: Ars Technica

A Charter Communications engineer called the company's rules against working from home during the coronavirus pandemic "pointlessly reckless" and "socially irresponsible" before subsequently resigning instead of continuing to work in the office, according to a TechCrunch article published yesterday.

Charter CEO Tom Rutledge last week told employees in a memo to keep coming to the office even if their jobs can be performed from home, because people "are more effective from the office." Employees should only stay home if they "are sick, or caring for someone who is sick," Rutledge wrote.

Nick Wheeler, a video operations engineer for Charter in Denver, sent an email expressing his displeasure with the policy to a senior vice president and "hundreds of engineers on Friday," TechCrunch wrote

Read more: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/03/charter-faces-blowback-after-banning-work-from-home-during-pandemic/

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A note about the title. Ars Technica uses A-B headline testing. Whatever headline gets the most clicks becomes permanent so the headline may change.

Start making noise. Get Charter to back down on this.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. I don't blame the engineer. If there is no need for face-to-face, why not? I suspect Charter ...

will back down.

[ibegurpard]

2. While i agree with the general sentiment

That working from home is less than ideal and employees ARE more effective in an actual workplace this is not a normal situation and keeping people from having to group together should be a priority if at all possible right now. And if the work isnt essential shut down if you can.

[AtheistCrusader]

3. That is factually wrong. Employees are more productive from home, for jobs that can be

performed remotely.

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/new-study-reveals-why-working-from-home-makes-workers-more-productive.html

[yellowdogintexas]

11. working from home extended the length of time I worked by at least a year

I was relieved of a 45 minute one way commute, having to dress for the office, buying lunch if I didn't bring it from home, working in an office which was always cold which triggered my fibro in a big way, and I could schedule my overtime whenever I wanted. Throw in that my fillups went from every 9 days to once a month, it was like a raise with no taxes.

I worked in my yoga clothes, took showers on my lunch break, and was supervised by my cats.

[AtheistCrusader]

15. It really puts the lie to the idea that disabled people can't work from home too.

Corporate America has pretty well shut them out, in favor of people who can 'come in to the office' more easily, and it was always a lie.

[groundloop]

4. There are MANY jobs in engineering which you can perform better from home

As an engineer I've had a very few opportunities to work from home and I was ALWAYS more productive because I didn't have all the unnecessary interruptions (coworkers talking about sports, boss asking stupid questions, too noisy or too quiet, etc. etc.) which I'd have had in the office.

Many bosses either don't trust us to do what we're supposed to do or don't want to lose their feeling of control.

Especially right now, if a job can be done at home then employers should let people work from home.

[Yavin4]

9. You also don't lose time with commuting.

which is good for the environment.

Workplaces are like mini-kingdoms where asshats can feel superior. Lording over you in the office gives them that feeling.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

12. "Many bosses either don't trust us..."

BINGO! There are two types of bosses: Those who tell their employees the goal and leave them alone to achieve it in their own way, providing only guidance when asked. Then there are those who are scared shitless they'll lose their jobs if they don't exercise absolute control over every aspect of a project. These are the ones who think people who telecommute will take advantage of the company and more importantly, themselves. Don't try to confuse them with facts like how much more productive an employee is if they work from home.

I wonder what their home life is like? Do they "run" their family like their work?

[DEbluedude]

13. Amen Brother!, or Sister!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

16. I'm a brother becoming a sister.

Actually, it's my second sex-change operation. I liked the results of the first one so much I decided to have another one.

[padfun]

14. And it's really tough when going from one type to the other type

The changes can be devastating from a career standpoint.

[lapfog_1]

5. I write for a living... software, architecture designs, etc

When I am in the office it is always "Holy interruptus batman"

When I work from home I can really spend the time to actually write stuff.

I am still available via email, slack, cell phone, carrier pigeon... but at less interruptions per hour.

[Duppers]

19. NASA let my hubs work at hm for 4 days

a wk for 3+yrs. Being a theoretical physicist, he needs solitude to concentrate. His publication rate did indeed increased.

There was a downside for me in that I could not speak to him or play music for much of the day. He's retired now but his mindset has not changed! He's still writing papers, says he just can't stop thinking about physics.

[a la izquierda]

20. I do my research and writing from home...

all my teaching prep I usually do in the office. Needless to say, this whole situation has my productivity off completely, but I guess I have time enough now to devote to all three facets of my job.

[flibbitygiblets]

10. I am so much more productive since starting to work from home

For one thing, I don't have people stopping by my desk to chat.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Head count implosion

for self-preservation. Wouldn't that shrink corporate America?

[IronLionZion]

7. Time for office workers to unionize

they do in some countries and sectors, like public sector unions pressured Trump to allow telework for federal employees and contractors starting today.

When my office manager emailed us all last Friday ordering us to come in this week, it was a strong NO from all of us. It needs to be all of us for it to work. Collective bargaining.

[NotHardly]

8. Maybe Tom Rutledge ought to show up at the office all this week, and next, and...

Good for the goose, good for the gander baby.

[christx30]

21. I work at Spectrum, doing tech support

in the office. Headed to work as we speak. Our VP is working from home. I haven’t seen him in the office in 3 weeks. But I still go in every day. I’d love to work from home. It’d save me the 3 hours a day in a bus commute.

[turbinetree]

17. Does the asshole that runs the company think that just maybe he should be charged with

reckless endangerment, or does he sit in that ivory tower thinking that he too is invincible..........................

[Marthe48]

18. I worked from home for about 9 years

Afternoon shift computer operations, mainly assigning and delivering files for a medical transcription company. I never met my boss, but he praised my work and reliability.

My daughter and her husband have both been told to work from home as of this week for different companies, different careers, different responsibilities. They have both worked from home before for their companies. I have a friend who works for the U.S. Govt. and has been working from home for the last couple of years. She is supposed to go to the office at least once in 2 weeks, something like that, and I haven't heard if she'll be excused from that for awhile.

The charter ceo is wrong about effectiveness.