On RTO and Telework: Dear Becerra and Hilton,
It seems our current Governor has stopped listening, so I appeal to the human side of our future Governor, Becerra or Hilton, and all opposers of Telework. Much has been said of the legal ramifications of RTO, and the point of this post is not to touch on that. I understand that modern-day law (and politics) is not moved by the "human side" of us humans; it is mechanical, unfeeling, uncaring, robotic. So I'll leave law to do law and politics to do politics, and touch on the human heart of the issue at hand.
Telework has been unprecedented to the American workforce. For the first time in centuries, the everyday person has been enabled to actually enjoy their job, to not have to wake up and feel miserable about facing a new day at work. How much people in our past would have longed to feel the way we do about work because of Telework, and have fought for exactly this, so the future generations wouldn't have to be as miserable as they were. And because State workers have finally been happy with their job the past 6 years, they have increased in productivity, have been more efficient with their time by going above and beyond, working past hours because they didn't have to commute, providing unparalleled service to the public. Telework has not only created 100,000 productive, efficient, happy employees, but this productivity has also poured into and strengthened our economy as never before. Telework is a service to all of the people of California.
Before COVID, Telework was just starting to make its way as a potential normal in America, but mostly for the elite and educated. Since the State went Telework, for the first time in our history, a hard working everyday person could also enjoy the benefits of Telework, working their way up and finding all kinds of new talents hidden inside them because they were enabled for the first time in their career to have work-life balance, to be able to think clearly in a quiet home office, and to have a new drive of productivity, opening up a whole side of them they didn't know existed (same could be said of the myriad of talented people with degrees who chose the State because of this work-life balance). And now we are going backwards, against the everyday person...once again.
I don't believe the core of the grievances of RTO is so specific as childcare, elderly care, traffic, spiking gas prices, commuting, wasting millions of taxpayers money, destroying even further our environment, lack of space in the office, lack of productivity at work from not being able to concentrate in the office because of a myriad interruptions, the daily unhealthy glare of fluorescent lights, having to deal with gossip, backbiting, and broken homes from interoffice affairs, etc. It is technically all these things and much more, but the heart of it is mostly felt and not spoken: it is not wanting to be miserable at work again, desperately not wanting to go backwards. It is soul-crushing the State workers. Yes, they can go back to the office like the rest of America, and yes, they can stop complaining and get a new job if they want to, but why not bring Telework back and enable 100,000 Californians to love their job?
Granted, it was a devastation that catapulted us into 100% forced Telework 6 years ago, and there were many negative effects because of that, especially isolation and a spike in mental health issues, but we have worked our way through that and to a healthy work-life balance with Hybrid-Telework of 2 days a week in the office. *(And for those who continue to feel isolated, perhaps consider going in 5 days a week where you're guaranteed to see people [I know of people who have been going in 5 days a week because it worked wonderfully for them], or perhaps consider joining a church where you'll have built-in family and friendships outside of work hours?). The Hybrid-Telework model has struck the perfect balance of separation from the worst aspects of working in the office, and promoting the best aspects of working from home, enabling us to flourish as employees and humans. We're not asking for 100% Telework, we're asking for Telework that works, a Hybrid-Telework that's balanced, that's best for the functionality of both the office and the employees.
Bring back Telework, lead the way in our Nation of putting the people first, historically set the precedent of enabling the everyday person to love their job. And for the non-State workers who are miserable at their work, please, apply for a State job and see how Telework will enable you to enjoy your job for the first time in your career <3
Post Scriptum. To my fellow State-workers, if all our efforts fail and our leaders refuse to heed our plea, and we will indeed return to the office 4 days a week, perhaps even 5 days a week in the near future, the desperation you are going to feel may become intense, even overwhelming. To have tasted the sweetness of Telework, of having balance in your life for the first time, and then to have to go backwards, back to misery and chaos, is going to be difficult, to say the least, and will probably make your future look bleak. If the desperation you feel becomes overwhelming--don't lose hope. Don't stay isolated in your grief, reach out to a co-worker who understands what you're going through; get the help you need. And may I offer an option perhaps you've never thought of? Serve the Lord. Nothing is more meaningful or fulfilling than that work. He will never treat you the way our leaders treat us. In His work, the future is always bright. Mt. 11:28-30. Stay strong, State-workers, don't let RTO beat you.