GM is calling for white-collar employees to return to office (RTO) following the implementation of a flexible at-home “Work Appropriately” strategy put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the worker response to the latest RTO mandate has been tepid at best, with many workers criticizing the move, and more broadly, GM leadership.
Many GM workers are taking to social media to vent their frustrations regarding the new RTO mandate, with multiple threads on the General Motors subreddit calling out the RTO mandate as unfair, ineffective, and hypocritical.
“Not only is the action of mandating three days a week off-base, the way it was delivered was really deplorable,” writes one user. “Right before the holidays… so we can all stress about how drastically our work lives are going to change in a short amount of time while we’re with our families.” The user goes on to say that General Motors is leaving its employees to scramble to find child care and transportation options over the holidays.
“I still want to see data proving that we are more effective in office than home,” writes another user.
“I’ve been here over a decade and I’ve never see morale this low,” writes another.
“Work appropriately, as long as it’s my way,” writes yet another.
Among the criticisms is the change to an open office format and shared working spaces, which are said to negatively impact camaraderie and make people feel more like a number than an employee. Available work space also seems to be in decline, while employees are facing a compressed workload as well.
Salaried employees are also pointing to a meager 3.5-percent pay increase that fails to even cover inflation, as compared to major gains realized by UAW members following a six-week strike. Employees also point to GM’s recent decision to enact a $10 billion stock buyback program, all while reducing its budget by $2 billion and terminating employees.
Back in October of 2022, GM sent out a company-wide request asking for a return to in-person work starting January 30th, 2023, but so far, employees have been reluctant to fulfill the request. To drive the point home, GM CEO Mary Barra recently sent out a company-wide email saying that workers would be required to RTO at least three times a week by the start of the 2024 calendar year.
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Posting a market share of nearly 16 percent.
Unlikely any units have been delivered to customers yet.
Identical rating across the range.
Luckily, no other motorists are caught up in the mayhem.
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I was labeled an essential worker, when Covid-19 first became an issue back in early 2020. My employer never made any accommodations for workers, even though all the schools were ordered closed. We had to arrange for our own caregivers, as the schools stayed closed for months. Then when the kids went back to school, they would close the schools again suddenly. We understood that our jobs were not waiting around for our personal lives. If an employer requires 3 days in person, then you go in for 3 days. Doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I knew some people who worked from home for a few years. They have since been laid off. Their services were no longer needed. If you want to stay employed, best to just do what your employer requires.
Seems like it's part of the worker privilege attitude. Too many people that think they don’t earn enough or have to work too hard.
Sorry but I don’t have much sympathy. I’ve busted my butt for many years working in tough conditions for pain in the butt bosses.
I’m with Joe. My boss caused pain in the gluteus Maximus and other areas frequently but I got thru it somehow. Now all you have to do is cry and they get the crying towel out.
Week day golf course play has increased 300% since the pandemic started.Need I say more?
Love the boomers on here calling folks lazy and weak, when they didnt have to compete in a workplace with a global race to the bottom that places shareholders above all else. Here's a thought, come out of retirement and see what todays corporate culture is like. You wouldn't be able to keep up.
I work in software. I am more productive at home and my data backs that up. Is this the case for everyone, no. I've gone into the office when i needed to be in a vehicle and one day a week for collaboration with my team. This directive will make me less productive and i am fine with that. I've always been flexible with company demands when the company has treated me like an adult and been flexible with me. Now i will be less flexible. I have a life outside of GM and as they enforce their boundaries, i will enforce mine. If i wanted to be dictated too i would go work for Tesla where i could make far more money. Many people (engineering and non-engineering) moved during the "work appropriately" phase because we were told that was the new norm at GM. The person I work the closest with lives in another state, in a different time zone. They are not being asked to relocate back to Michigan, so now our collaboration get's harder. The one thing I've learned in my time at GM is that the company is not driven by data. Rather or not this blanket mandate makes sense for the business doesn't matter so long as people comply. One thing this article does not mention is that the senior leadership team exempted themselves from this mandate. Alan Wexler, VP of strategy and innovation works and lives in Wyoming. Mike Abbott, VP of Software works and lives in California as does 80% of his direct reports. Arden Hoffman, Chief People Officer works and lives in Montana. Paul Jacobson, CFO works and lives in Georgia. Lin-Hua Wu, VP of communications works and lives in California. Kristen Pucheck, Cheif of DEI works and lives in Colorado. Ken Fendick Head of Talent works and lives in NY. The list goes on. It's hard to respect any of them. It's hard to want to work hard for them, but this is our culture.
Based on my experience with GM "software," including my new 2024 Silverado 2500 HD, 2014 Acadia, and 2014 Encore, I'd say you're not very productive at all — irrespective of where you're work is performed.
Infotainment is one thing, but goodness gracious, if you guys could actually program an effective TCM or BCM, that would be a sainthood-worthy miracle.
You're in luck. You can buy an EV, which won't have a BCM or TCM.
All these comments slamming those who WFH are pretty tone deaf....Just gonna say I work WAY more hours since we have gone WFH than I ever did in office. I roll out of bed and I get right to work in my home office that has two 4k 32" screens, a sit/stand desk, audio/video conferencing equipment, sound proofing to minimize distractions from my kids, and all paid for out of my pocket. To say I get alot of work done in that environment is an understament. And that's great, because GM is doing it's best to eliminate its white collar workforce so those of us that are left are doing way more work than we were.
I recognize that not everyone is in a role that can be remote and there may be some emotions playing into people's judgement on this matter. But just because it's not a perk you enjoyed or you wouldnt personally succeed in that environment doesn't mean you should be spiteful of those that got the chance.
Just remember. If you don’t have any need to interact with other employees or customers, or involve yourself in product manufacturing for engineering you can be outsourced easily.
Beware
So...are you aware of the internet....? Phones? Teams? I personally am on the phone 80% of the week talking to people and solving problems from around the globe.
But me personally aside, you making a statement doesn't make it true... If you think only people who fit into that narrow band of responsibilities you listed are the only valuable people you genuinely don't understand how a multi-billion dollar enterprise is run.
Also, just to say it.....GM (or any big global company) would LOVE to outsource literally any role it could to save $$.... The fact that they haven't outsourced a given role is just evidence that they can't for one reason or another....Get that chip off your shoulder friend, it's distracting.
It's not the fact that no one understands the advantages of WFH, but if you are not the Head Boss calling the shots from a Global standpoint based on how that company needs to run, either accept it for what it is based on what they are asking you all to do, or you do away with gm all together and look for or start up a business as to where you can continue to stay home the way you want to.
If you don't like your company's directives,you can work elsewhere. Covid is over. Deal with it and stop whining. We are all adults. Act like one
No issue with a more firm RTW directive . After working 25+ years 5 days a week a 3 days in the office directive is still gravy to me. Yet there are few things they need to do to make it better. Get rid of that damn open office concepts and have assigned seating with semiprivate desks ( think library study hall mini cubes ) . Secondly what is so magical and sacred about T,W, TH? If the big bosses want 3 days of boots on the ground at least give people the latitude to choose different days depending on what days make the most sense
You all should be glad its Tues, Wed, and Thur, instead of Mon, Wed, and Fri.