Unspoken Expectations as a New Planner
I’m wondering if others have felt the expectation or pressure when starting a job in a new jurisdiction to live in that community opposed to commuting into it?
I understand why that’s preferred because of proximity to the workplace, active presence in the community, etc.
But it’s not always practical especially when you’re asking your staff to put up with a higher COL to pull it off, trade offs in lifestyle and access to amenities, or in my case you’d rather spend your free time in a place that’s more accepting of “alternative lifestyles”.
Obviously most people get a choice in the matter but I’ve experienced directors and upper management passively making their opinions clear that I should try living where I work as a planner. Any advice on navigating this? Should I just push these concerns out of my head and just focus on my wants or needs? Or am I missing the big picture here? I’d love to hear from people that can relate to this.
This is my second brush with this where I’ve observed some nosiness from my management about my own housing choices.