Experts warn that rigid in-person work policies may drive away top talent

Daniel Puchert

Daniel Puchert

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Companies saying goodbye to work from home in South Africa

Many local companies have started demanding a full return to office from their employees, but experts warn that rigid policies may drive away top talent.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, work-from-home policies became incredibly common in workplaces in South Africa and globally.
 
In a country like South Africa with nearly 50% unemployment, this shouldn't be an issue, but hey... we demund.
 
3WA said:
But it balances out because it also draws every last drop of blood out of bottom talent.
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You mean the guys who sit drinking coffee, at the canteen, out for a smoke?
Please in office shows that performance goes down, worse so for the bottom talent as they can now cruise even easier under the busier guys.
 
Its a doubler edged sword.

Now I spend 1 hour in traffic each way, time I spent logging in earlier and logging off earlier. Now I dont

Also my company reduced the rental space, and now there isnt enough space. So how to resolve? Retrench 50% of the workforce.

GREAT
 
Management desperation still citing "productivity increases" when pretty much every study out there showed the opposite.
Good luck with that back-to-the-office mandate.
The world is a big place now and our guys are just about 10% more expensive than the Indians.
 
RaptorSA said:
Management desperation still citing "productivity increases" when pretty much every study out there showed the opposite.
Good luck with that back-to-the-office mandate.
The world is a big place now and our guys are just about 10% more expensive than the Indians.
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It's only really middle management who worry, cause I mean that did they do all day really??
 
Lupus said:
It's only really middle management who worry, cause I mean that did they do all day really??
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I know some of them who are still around these days move Jira tickets around and reschedule meetings like there's no tomorrow.... the rest of them got fired during the past few years, at least in my experience.
Being around when the culling started at the top was a great thing to witness.
 
Lupus said:
You mean the guys who sit drinking coffee, at the canteen, out for a smoke?
Please in office shows that performance goes down, worse so for the bottom talent as they can now cruise even easier under the busier guys.
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Not my bottom talent. I could even get a SADTU maths teacher to pass a maths exam.
 
I’m required to be in the office once a week and I usually write that day off as a networking day because everyone just wants to chat. Interrupts my flow to such a point that I likely get 20% done of what I would have at home.
 
No one I work with is at my nearest office. I have to go sit between people that I don't work with, and spend the whole day calling people that I work with. With uncomfortable desk and less screen.
I don't see the value.
 
_TrXtR_ said:
No one I work with is at my nearest office. I have to go sit between people that I don't work with, and spend the whole day calling people that I work with. With uncomfortable desk and less screen.
I don't see the value.
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Funny, it sounds like you’re trying to justify it to us lol.
We’re not telling you to go back 🤣
 
Yes, it is sad to see the demise of WFH but it is expected. I did not expect WFH to remain indefinitely. The employer has the advantage, so the employer makes the rules. IMO employers have a big advantage in 2025 and they know this. I just hope employees are prepared and not making the assumption that their job is safe.

“Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean you have to. Companies that prioritise flexibility are better positioned to attract and retain the best talent, as they offer a work environment that supports work-life balance and autonomy.”
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I think that many companies just do not care about people like that. Many employers know that RTO mandates will alienate some employees and that is fine. Those that leave can be replaced with someone else or, the company can use the resignations as an opportunity to cut costs and ultimately "improve profitability of the business" - its a win for the company's bottomline.
 
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