Google employees face pay cuts for not returning to the office

[st13phil]

Story here:

Google employees face up to 25% pay cuts for not returning to the office

The reports have raised concerns that this could serve as a precedent for other companies to do the same

www.itpro.co.uk

I know that this story relates to America, but if anyone thinks UK employers won't be seriously looking at it as an option, they're deluding themselves.

The UK employment lawyer quoted is quite correct that if an employer wishes to vary terms and conditions of a current employment contract, they must first seek to reach agreement to the changes by consultation. However, many UK employment contracts specify the address at which work is to be carried out, so good luck to anyone trying to argue their case on that one, because it would be them as the employee who is requesting a change to the terms of their contract, not the employer imposing a change.

My gut feel is that employees in the technology sector are some of the most vulnerable as we come out of furlough and normal working resumes. After all, if the work can be done remotely, why does the employee need to be located in the UK when the work could be carried out from another country where labour is cheaper?

I suspect that some of those who have enjoyed WFH in their PJ's over the last 20+ months will soon be starting to question the wisdom of what they've done.

 

[Deleted member 159894]

Story here:

Google employees face up to 25% pay cuts for not returning to the office

The reports have raised concerns that this could serve as a precedent for other companies to do the same

www.itpro.co.uk

I know that this story relates to America, but if anyone thinks UK employers won't be seriously looking at it as an option, they're deluding themselves.

The UK employment lawyer quoted is quite correct that if an employer wishes to vary terms and conditions of a current employment contract, they must first seek to reach agreement to the changes by consultation. However, many UK employment contracts specify the address at which work is to be carried out, so good luck to anyone trying to argue their case on that one, because it would be them as the employee who is requesting a change to the terms of their contract, not the employer imposing a change.

My gut feel is that employees in the technology sector are some of the most vulnerable as we come out of furlough and normal working resumes. After all, if the work can be done remotely, why does the employee need to be located in the UK when the work could be carried out from another country where labour is cheaper?

I suspect that some of those who have enjoyed WFH in their PJ's over the last 20+ months will soon be starting to question the wisdom of what they've done.

I have made this point to many people over the last 12 months, however, I don't understand your final para, what will they be questioning? There has been little choice in the matter for many, social distancing has meant that fewer workers could attend the office, in fact I know of a business contact who was desperate to be in the office but was unable to on times because there was no room. His colleague sent me a photo of his work station located in his beach hut! (He was less keen on going in to the office).

 

[Dryce]

My gut feel is that employees in the technology sector are some of the most vulnerable as we come out of furlough and normal working resumes. After all, if the work can be done remotely, why does the employee need to be located in the UK when the work could be carried out from another country where labour is cheaper?

An acquaintance working in London is thinking about moving to Scotland.

So he keeps his London salary but not his accomodation costs.

That would probably be the case initially - but I've pointed out to him that it would ultimately lead to the situation where employers would look to widen the pool of potential employees geographically and lower their costs and that over a number of years the London 'premium' would diminish.

(It might also reduce property and accommodation costs for residents and businesses in London - so reducing the premium of actually living and working in London for those who stayed).

 

[Dryce]

I have made this point to many people over the last 12 months, however, I don't understand your final para, what will they be questioning? There has been little choice in the matter for many, social distancing has meant that fewer workers could attend the office, in fact I know of a business contact who was desperate to be in the office but was unable to on times because there was no room. His colleague sent me a photo of his work station located in his beach hut! (He was less keen on going in to the office).

My jaded observation is that many offices have been significantly less full than they could have been.

One office I attend reduced capacity to 1/3 last summer. Hardly anybody came in. The area where I work was oversubscribed - we were prepared to flex our hours to extend the capacity to 2/3 but didn't have to thanks to our missing colleagues who left us with overflow space.

I think huge swathes of the economy basically didn't do anything like as much as they could have done to adapt.

 

[ChrisEdu]

Luckily, I can be retired from wherever!

 

[st13phil]

I don't understand your final para, what will they be questioning? There has been little choice in the matter for many, social distancing has meant that fewer workers could attend the office, in fact I know of a business contact who was desperate to be in the office but was unable to on times because there was no room.

I agree that some haven't had the option to attend their office, and I'm sympathetic to them if their position is now less secure because of that. However, a number that I know could have attended their normal workplace yet chose not to, and it's those who are now feeling a bit squeaky. Incidentally, a good proportion of that cohort are also people who could be relied upon to find a reason for not coming to work pre-pandemic anyway.

My personal view is that hybrid or blended office and homeworking can benefit both employees and employers, but the shift to that will be bumpy, especially in organisations where some roles can only be carried out on premises by some of the employees (i.e. pretty much every company you can imagine). Those tied to the business premises will always resent those who have the flexibility / opportunity to WFH, even if that resentment is unjustified in a "bigger picture" sense.