The pandemic changed the way we understand office work. Employers realized that employees can be just as efficient (if not more) when working from home. Remote or hybrid work is now part of the policy for many companies. Forbes reports that 28.2% of full-time employees work a hybrid model—and 12.7% work entirely from home.

One redditor’s story on r/antiwork is a perfect example of how employers sometimes take advantage of the WFH work model. The OP started as a remote worker. Yet the management started demanding that he needs to come to the office regularly. Check out the whole story below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Working from home is becoming a popular work model, especially after the pandemic

Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)

One man took to Reddit to share the injustice he experienced at his workplace

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

Image credits: u/bondsman33

What can employees who find themselves in similar situations do?

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

Just like some commenters suggested, the first step should be trying to negotiate. Asking for compensation for changing your work model from remote to in-office is quite reasonable.

Keirsten Greggs, founder of the recruitment consulting firm TRAP Recruiting, recommends the following script. “My commute is this long and it costs me this much money to commute. I’ve got to pay for parking or public transportation. Would you provide me with a stipend or relocation?”

Employees can also bring up work attire, which, depending on position, can be expensive. Greggs also says that mental health and productivity are also viable reasons when asking for compensation. “I’m going to be more productive. I’m going to be happier at work. My performance is going to stay at the level that it’s been at when I feel like I’m not giving up everything.”

Another angle could be to ask for some flexibility at the office, Melanie Prengler, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business says. One could try negotiating more flexible deadlines or ask to participate in projects they want to. “If you have to take away your employees’ choice about where to work, you have to balance that out by giving them abundant choices in other areas.”

In some cases, leaving the job might be the only choice. If a person requires a position where they need to be at home for most of the day, looking for such a job might be the best option. Career expert Egle Holton told Yahoo Finance: “If you are unable to negotiate a flexible schedule, you may want to consider looking into other options, such as searching for a new job that offers remote or hybrid work arrangements.” She also has another suggestion – a portfolio career. That means working on projects for different employers, diversifying your source of income.

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A remote work agreement should have these 4 essential components

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Not all jobs are eligible for remote work. First responders, food service workers and those who work in transportation are some of those careers. But the workers who can fulfill their duties remotely should know at least 4 conditions.

First, the working hours should be clearly stated. They can correspond with the working hours for in-office employees or not. Employers might offer flexibility for remote workers – the chance to work when they want to. That is as long as the number of hours adds up to a certain number per week.

The second thing to look for is what communication tools the workplace is using. The most basic is email, the one probably every company uses. Everyday communications are usually handled through platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. Google Hangouts or Zoom can be tools for video conferences. For easier tracking of tasks and projects, companies opt for work management apps like Monday or Asana.

For employees who work from home, companies might have to take extra steps to regulate and track productivity. This point varies according to the job description. Some roles might have easier-definable metrics than others. Employers can give their workers more flexibility as long as they achieve desired results. In other cases, companies can track the employee’s working time. There are also apps for this, like Clockify or Zoomshift.

Lastly, every respectable company should have security and confidentiality policies in place. Especially with remote work becoming so popular ever since the pandemic. Data security is a real concern, so employees need to protect their files and workspaces. Hypercontext advises guiding workers through the do’s and don’ts when choosing strong passwords. Can employees use public Wi-Fi? Should they use a VPN? All these points should be included.

The OP also gave more information in a comment

Commenters stood by the OP and gave him advice on what to do in this situation

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