South African employers cutting back on remote working benefits

[avdalen]

The "other" big bank not mentioned in the article, apparently circulated a new policy last week, informing their staff of the board's decision that all staff had to return to the office and that remotely work is no longer an option. This is apparently justified as necessary due to undesirable productivity levels.

Yet another example of the difference between senior management and senior leadership. Managers manage people. Leaders lead people. The big banks in south Africa clearly can't lead. If they were able to lead, they'd not throw productivity levels on the boards' table and say "this is what is the reason we are not making enough money".

I hope that the talented staff who value working remotely, put their CV's out there and that the recruiters grab the opportunity. It's really the only way that the banks will listen and convince the board of their I'll decision.

Any recruiters in banking services on here?

Which banking services offer remote work?

 

[akescpt]

If productivity actually drops then don't offer pay rise. What's the problem? Where are their KPIs, Sales Targets, Tickets, Year End Reviews?

I call bullshit.

hmmmm this sounds like more work for management...you must be joking...

 

[CyraxHB]

The "other" big bank not mentioned in the article, apparently circulated a new policy last week, informing their staff of the board's decision that all staff had to return to the office and that remotely work is no longer an option. This is apparently justified as necessary due to undesirable productivity levels.

Yet another example of the difference between senior management and senior leadership. Managers manage people. Leaders lead people. The big banks in south Africa clearly can't lead. If they were able to lead, they'd not throw productivity levels on the boards' table and say "this is what is the reason we are not making enough money".

I hope that the talented staff who value working remotely, put their CV's out there and that the recruiters grab the opportunity. It's really the only way that the banks will listen and convince the board of their I'll decision.

Any recruiters in banking services on here?

Which banking services offer remote work?

I'm at FNB and we've been doing 2 days in the office for the last 2 years or so. Seems to be sticking.

RMB apparently went back 5 days, then Wesbank starting talking about it and then it reverted to 2 days for all. Too much staff push back I heard.

The days in the office are such a waste of time. Everyone just chats and goes for coffee / lunch. Nothing gets done.

 

[Lupus]

I'm at FNB and we've been doing 2 days in the office for the last 2 years or so. Seems to be sticking.

RMB apparently went back 5 days, then Wesbank starting talking about it and then it reverted to 2 days for all. Too much staff push back I heard.

The days in the office are such a waste of time. Everyone just chats and goes for coffee / lunch. Nothing gets done.

Yup see that where I work, generally when everyone is in the office less gets done.

 

[Mystic Twilight]

The days in the office are such a waste of time. Everyone just chats and goes for coffee / lunch. Nothing gets done.

But does this behaviour disappear if it was wfh?

 

[Cius]

By far the only valid thing I have heard about all of this is the drop in efficiency of new hire upskilling. Having senior people nearby to help you does help new and young hires but I think you could set up remote systems to solve for that if you are intentional about it. Anyways, saw this coming a mile away. Too easy to roll it back and to pin the blame for any and all company problems on remote work. Back in early 2023 I decided it would probably end sometime in the next year or two and I should just be grateful I had the WFH privilege for the 3 years it lasted. When I started this job I did after all agree to be in office 5 days a week. For now I am still hybrid and enjoying it while I can but I suspect sometime in the near future it may change.

 

[CyraxHB]

But does this behaviour disappear if it was wfh?

There should be less distraction in a wfh environment - for me anyway.

But lazy people will be lazy in any environment so ultimately it up to the managers to make sure the people perform.

 

[Quicks]

You can't punish some because others are getting lazy. Get the lazy ones back in the office and leave the rest alone.

You know the lazy ones will cry discrimination and as per usual then everyone need to cater for the useless and be back at the office.

 

[hj007]

It's unfortunate, but the employer gets to choose. You can only vote with your feet and it seems to be an in-demand perk. At least, for those that value WFH - I still have a ton of colleagues who think remote is awful, so I'm in a real minority here...

 

[xrapidx]

However, while many companies want to do away with or reduce their remote working benefits, they face challenges such as staff that semigrated under the belief that they could work remotely in perpetuity

Just about every single person I know that has moved because of the change to WFH policies did so with the understanding from management that the arrangement won't change.

The very same management has now done an about turn - saying its not their problem.

 

[hj007]

Just about every single person I know that has moved because of the change to WFH policies did so with the understanding from management that the arrangement won't change.

The very same management has now done an about turn - saying its not their problem.

And that's how unions were born

 

[Dolby]

Just about every single person I know that has moved because of the change to WFH policies did so with the understanding from management that the arrangement won't change.

The very same management has now done an about turn - saying its not their problem.

We had people that semigrated & even started working abroad - but it was OK'd by the company.

I think those thsat were OK'd, they'll turn a blind eye too though, but no new staff can do the same thing .

 

[Corelli]

At my office it works. We only send staff into the office once a day. We have reduced our rental space by 1/4. Only Call centre staff has to go in 5 days a week. IT staff only 1 day a week. And you can use annual leave on the day you need to go in, so if you have enough on balance you wont need to go in pretty much the entire year.

 

[Corelli]

The best is when the CEO does his townhall speech about how coming to the office allows us to collaborate anyhow great ideas are given a water birth at the cooler, but he is never there to talk to me.

I know I'm like seven levels down from him and de there is the logistical issue of him living in another country and also having a Spa to manage on his private island which takes up 50% of his time, but he said he'd like to collaborate more so what's up with that?

The irony is you go in and then sit in virtual meetings all day with colleagues who sits next to you. We tried it a few times and then naah, best we stay at home. Now we tend to work longer hours, mainly because we dont have to be stuck in traffic for an hour or more to drive a mere 10kms to work.

 

[Dylan_G]

The irony is you go in and then sit in virtual meetings all day with colleagues who sits next to you.

When I used to go into the office, this annoyed the crap out of me.

 

[LCBXX]

What ever happened to the Corporate "Let's embrace the New Normal everyone! Let's jive to Jerusalema, wear our masks whilst we flap our Covid vaccines papers! We're all in this together!! Zoom drinks!"?

 

[ShaunSA]

What ever happened to the Corporate "Let's embrace the New Normal everyone! Let's jive to Jerusalema, wear our masks whilst we flap our Covid vaccines papers! We're all in this together!! Zoom drinks!"?

No one is in the office until we are all in the office

 

[LCBXX]

No one is in the office until we are all in the office

I have a client who cancelled all their work from home arragements. The office was jam-packed when I went there in May; I get there towards the end of June again and it's empty.

I ask what this is now, and the one Manager who's there says "We had a large amount of people get sick and take weeks of sick-leave so staff are working remotely until further notice".

 

[ShaunSA]

I have a client who cancelled all their work from home arragements. The office was jam-packed when I went there in May; I get there towards the end of June again and it's empty.

I ask what this is now, and the one Manager who's there says "We had a large amount of people get sick and take weeks of sick-leave so staff are working remotely until further notice".

What did they expect to happen when they ****ed their immune systems up?

 

[LCBXX]

What did they expect to happen when they ****ed their immune systems up?

Well it is winter and people are low on Vitamin D, so the seasonal sicknesses would be rife. Forcing people to be grouped together inside 8+ hours a day will have it spread like wildfire.