The Great Return-To-Office Experiment: Why Are Some Workplaces More Up To This Task Than Others?: LRI INK

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Subject: The Great Return-To-Office Experiment: Why Are Some Workplaces More Up To This Task Than Others?: LRI INK

November 9, 2023

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The Great Return-To-Office Experiment: Why Are Some Workplaces More Up To This Task Than Others?

by Kimberly Ricci

Earlier this year, we discussed the hot-button issue of easing into Return To Office (RTO) policies, which still generate friction in this strange era that we live in now. Five years ago, who would have predicted this? Yet here we are, having watched companies including Google, Meta, Disney, Apple, Amazon, and Chipotle implement various mandates for full-time workers to return to the office. These efforts met with resistance.

At Farmers Insurance, the RTO push grew messy, with workers threatening to form a union after the rollback of a 2022 policy, which held that “most” full-time workers could remain long-term remote. Given that some workers made life-altering decisions due to that policy, this example will likely be reflected upon as a learning experience should the U.S. ever enter another period where most white-collar workers go remote again.

Some workplaces have achieved RTO with virtually no scuffles, but that appears to be an exception. A recent Conference Board survey indicated that three-quarters of companies with RTO mandates need help retaining workers.

Yep, the Great RTO Experiment continues with more conflict:

In late October, 700 New York Times tech workers went on strike over the company’s RTO mandate. Recently, those workers unionized with NewsGuild of New York, part of the CWA. The union alleges that the RTO policy was a means of intimidation.
Dating app Grindr issued a particularly dramatic requirement for workers to choose paths within two weeks: declare plans to return to the office or leave their jobs with severance. Many of these workers – also organizing with CWA – were hired as remote employees and would have had to relocate to a hub city. Very quickly, 80 out of 178 workers left their jobs.

Shocking? Perhaps not. The tech sector’s recently plentiful layoffs have fueled speculation that Grindr’s hardline RTO Mandate was actually a round of “soft layoffs,” wherein workers weeded themselves out of the game. We will probably never know the truth, but companies do not want to lose their most valuable workers in such a way, which is proving to be a genuine risk with many RTO mandates.

How does a company retain its most effective workers while moving towards RTO? No one-size-fits-all answer exists, but workers will more readily embrace returning to a physical office if they feel that a business prioritizes their well-being.

Consider this: Business Insider recently quoted a Harvard professor who estimates the value of flexible work arrangements as “equivalent to an 8% raise.” If that’s true, an RTO mandate would ideally include a few incentives to compensate for losing that alleged 8%. In a big city with longer commutes, perks like free parking or meal vouchers go a long way. Companies can get creative according to what fits their situation.

Yet what seems most undeniable about the RTO era is how workers appreciate key aspects of flexibility. A few extra personal days or a hybrid structure could help in that department. And as always, open communication is key to building an enduringly positive workplace culture.

Blog Post

Leadership Bits and Bytes: Winning the 2023 Dance Off of Change

by Michael VanDervort

Ah, 2023, you sneaky beast. Just when operational managers thought they'd gotten a handle on the modern leadership rollercoaster, the game changed. Again. Thanks to our not-so-distant friend COVID-19, the ripples of disruption continue to make waves in supply chains and the all-new world of employee work prefs. It’s like trying to balance on a surfboard while someone keeps throwing you another to juggle—exciting but, oh boy, challenging. Here are some tips to help you get your leadership groove on, like Star-Lord during his dance-off with Ronan the Destroyer.

Weathering the Economic Storms

So here we are, with the economy making its best rollercoaster impression: soaring inflation, market mayhem, and the dreaded 'D' word (downturn, shhh!). Leaders, it's time to batten down the hatches and navigate through the financial squalls with the poise of a seasoned captain.

Tech Trends: The AI Wave

Tech's not just knocking on the door; it's burst through like the Kool-Aid Man, shouting, "Oh yeah!" AI and machine learning aren't just cool buzzwords; they're the secret sauce to staying in the race. Get ready to plug in and power up, folks.

Green is the New Black

Gone are the days when green was just a color. Now, it's a mission statement. Sustainability isn't just nice to have; it’s smart biz. It cuts costs and wins hearts and minds. Hello, green glow-up!

Surviving the Great Resignation

Here’s to the leaders left playing musical chairs in the workforce, where the music stopped, and many folks just... left. It's a bit like a dance-off now, where you've got to keep the rhythm with fewer dancers on the floor.

The New Look of Leadership

Now, let’s talk about what’s hot in the 2023 leadership scene:

Boss? Nah, Coach. Managers are trading the clipboard for a whistle, empowering teams to think outside the box and score big.
Dynamic Leadership Range: It's like having a Spotify playlist for managing—knowing when to be chill and when to amp it up.
Streamlined Hierarchies: Say goodbye to the corporate ladder; we're on the leadership jungle gym now, swinging from decision to decision.
Never Stop Learning: The only constant is change, right? Well, strap in for some learning loops and knowledge coasters.
Remote Leadership Groove: It's not just about Slack pings; it's about making virtual feel personal and keeping that team vibe alive across time zones.
Feel the Feels: Emotional intelligence isn’t just for Oprah. It’s the secret handshake of the truly connected, thriving team.
Agility is Your New Dance Partner: Quick on your feet and ready to tango through the twists and turns of business? That’s the agile leader’s jam.
Soft Skills for the Win: Soft skills are the new hard currency, the peanut butter to your team's jelly.
Gender Balance, Baby: Diversity isn’t a quota; it’s about bringing all the voices to the table and making better music together.
Tech Literacy: If you're not up to date on tech, you're reading last year’s news. Get with the program, or get left behind.
AI, the Industry DJ: AI's spinning tracks we've never heard before. It's time to dance to the beat of efficiency and innovation.
Global Cooperation Vibes: It's a small world, after all. We're all in this together, balancing tech advances with keeping our planet chill.

If leadership in 2023 were a Spotify playlist, it'd be a mix of classic hits and the latest drops. It's about staying groovy while riding the waves of change and keeping that beat going strong. Leaders who can keep up with the tempo and throw in a few dance moves of their own are the ones who'll turn this wild ride into a chart-topper. Let's make some noise! 🎤✨

Blog Post

When What Happens In Vegas Doesn’t Start In Vegas: A Strikewatch On Casino Workers

by Kimberly Ricci

The AFL-CIO recently branded Downtown Detroit as “Strike City” due to three simultaneous high-profile UAW strikes. These walkouts included auto workers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield staffers, and even some UAW-represented casino workers.

Weeks later, those three conflicts are still in various stages of (non-?) resolution, with the auto industry being the only struck entity seeing some relief. As Shawn Fain has made everyone aware, the Big Three strikes were purportedly resolved, but in a late-breaking update, Flint Engine workers have rejected the GM tentative deal, so keep watching there.

More to our point today: Currently, the most dramatic Detroit display of this multi-industry unrest comes from the Detroit Casino Council (DCC), a coalition of five unions, including UAW, Unite Here, Teamsters, Operating Engineers, and Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters.

The ongoing casino showdown: In October and for the first time in the DCC’s history, workers at Motor City’s three casinos – MGM Grand Detroit, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and MotorCity Casino – walked out. Four weeks later, these 4,000 workers are still picketing while the union keeps hammering away for more significant raises than offered. MGM Grand Detroit is reportedly losing $1.7 million daily from the strike.

What’s happening in Vegas: For the first time in decades, the Culinary and Bartender Unions are also preparing to walk off their Vegas casino jobs. A Nov. 10 strike deadline has been looming over 18 strip casinos to the tune of 35,000 workers: bartenders, kitchen workers, cocktail and food servers, housekeepers, guest room attendants, bellmen, and more.

The biggest hospitality strike in U.S. history? Perhaps, especially in such a tourism-heavy city. On Nov. 8, the Culinary Workers Union struck a deal with Caesars Entertainment, taking 3 out of the projected 18 strike targets off the list.

That’s good news, but this could still become a significant strike for Wynn and MGM Resorts, which operate some of the more popular casinos on the strip. The timing of the projected strike, however, could make the effects even more pronounced, given that Vegas will soon host the city’s first Formula 1 event in 40 years.

Some even bigger numbers: 120,000 racing fans are descending upon Vegas for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, which begins on Nov. 16. Also looming in Feb. 2024: the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium with a capacity of 65,000 attendees.

What’s the financial impact on unions? The UAW increased strike pay to $500 per week this year, which is what Detroit casino workers receive. Down in Las Vegas, the Culinary Union Local 226 boasts a “significant” fund through which workers will receive $300 for the first week and $400 each following week off the job.

The union demands: Vegas hospitality workers seek raises and a post-pandemic shift back to daily room cleanings for housekeepers. That final detail, which concerns job security, has been a sticking point in failed contract negotiations thus far. Additionally, the unions seek rules to protect workers against job losses from new technology, a tale that’s still as old as time in almost every industry.

Will Vegas Big Labor roll the dice later this week? We shall soon find out.

Blog Post

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Links of the Week

Region 14-St. Louis Approves Settlement of More than $145,000 for Unlawfully Terminated Employees, an Agreement by the Employer to Recognize and Bargain with the Union Under Cemex, and Training for Managers and Supervisors

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Chipotle Enrages Union Workers With 5 Cent Raise

Link

Alleged Fake Marijuana Unions Are Expanding Foothold Across U.S.

Link

Starbucks Again Omits Unionized Workers From Benefits Bumps

Link

Hollywood Studios, Actors Tentatively Agree to New Contract

Link

Google Content Writers at Accenture Vote to Join Union

Link

About Labor Relations INK

Labor Relations INK is published weekly and is edited by Labor Relations Institute, Inc. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you think might enjoy it. New subscribers can sign up by visiting here.

If you use content from this newsletter, please attribute it to Labor Relations Institute and include our website: http://www.LRIonline.com

Contributing editors for this issue: Phillip Wilson, Greg Kittinger, Michael VanDervort, and Kimberly Ricci

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About Labor Relations Institute

LRI exists to help our clients thrive and become extraordinary workplaces. We improve the lives of working people by strengthening relationships with their leaders and each other. For over 41 years, LRI has led the labor and employee relations industry, driven by our core values and our proven process, the LRI Way.

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Subject: The Great Return-To-Office Experiment: Why Are Some Workplaces More Up To This Task Than Others?: LRI INK