Boss Of Fully Remote Company Requires Employees Return To The Office After A Single Worker Complains About Being Lonely
"The only reason I applied for this job was because it was fully remote."
Beijingstory, Pro-stock Studio | CanvaPro Amid a wave of return-to-office mandates in the corporate world, one employee on Reddit shared his story of being forced back to the office despite living over two hours away.
The employee admitted that it wasn’t a drawn-out decision made by his leadership. Rather, it happened within just five minutes after a single employee complained.
The boss of a fully remote company required his employees to return to the office after a single worker expressed his loneliness.
Although employees perform better, live happier lives, and maintain a healthier work-life balance with hybrid and remote options, this boss completely disregarded his team at the drop of a hat.
“Everyone in my company works fully remote except one co-worker who likes to be at the office. Today, he said that he would like to see us because he doesn't like being alone,” the employee wrote in his since-deleted Reddit post. “The manager didn't ask [for] other people's approval but enforced it on the spot. So starting next week everyone in our department must return to office."
The employee chose this job specifically because it allowed him to work from home.
“The main reason why I applied to this job in the first place is to work from home,” the employee added. “There were better jobs out there but they had one or two days of work at the office. That's why I rejected those job offers and chose this one.”
Unsurprisingly, the majority of the workforce, 54%, wants a fully remote job, as it often cultivates a healthier and more productive work environment.
From using the bathroom at will to staying home with your pets and kids, there are a number of reasons employees might sacrifice compensation or promotions to work from home.
In this Reddit man’s case, he sacrificed other hybrid roles, with greater compensation and growth, so he could be 100% remote — but now, everything has changed.
While it’s easy to blame the one in-person employee for expressing their loneliness, the true burden of responsibility is with this leadership team.
Loneliness is an epidemic of its own and a major issue for many Americans. However, work-from-home mandates are certainly not the solution.
Despite corporate opinions, forcing employees to work in person doesn't actually support the sense of community, happiness, and connection they anticipate. Instead, research shows, it directly leads to job dissatisfaction and worsens the divide between teams and their leadership.
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“I saw very upset faces [on] the call. The office requires a 2-hour commute to the location for a total of 4 hours commuting per day from my home,” the Redditor added. “My co-workers live quite far, as well.”
Without remote work specified in their contracts, many employees are looking for different jobs.
Like others on his team, this Reddit man used the company’s casual meeting announcement as motivation to start looking for a new job.
“The company deliberately doesn't mention working from home in the contract," he wrote. "There’s just no incentive to stay here.”
Commenters agreed, insisting that his next job should specifically highlight “work from home privileges” in the contract to protect him from any disputes. They urged him to update his resume and immediately get on the job search.
A humbling reminder of the corporate experience, this man’s story reminds employees that their bosses aren’t always looking out for their best interest — especially if profit, productivity, and control are at risk. Advocate for yourself, double-check your offer letters, and find ways to make space for yourself outside of the office.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories