#DearNikki, Everyone in My Office Gets to Work from Home Except for Me
Dear Nikki,
Can my company decide to send everyone in my office to work from home except me? I was hired in the office they are closing at the end of the month but moved 100 miles away two years ago. I have to move back to that city to finish my degree later this year, and they've been aware of that the entire time. They announced they were closing that office at the end of this month back in January. Everyone is required to work from home, no matter how bad their scores are, or if they want to stay in the office. Three people are being terminated because they can't work out of the office. It made sense that they would have included me in work from home, but they didn't. I will be the only person in Operations working in the office. Possibly my supervisor. I feel like this isn't okay, but I don't know what else to do. Any ideas?
Columbus, OH, USA
Nikki:
The company has made their decision. They're moving, and you aren't currently afforded the luxury of working from home.
You have two clear and distinct options here.
Maybe a third.
You either raise your hand and speak up for yourself, make your request known and validate why you need to do it this way. Or it would help if you made the decision to move on and look for something else.
If asking for their accommodation to your request of working from home doesn't work, then this leaves you with the option of saying that this job is no longer a good fit for you.
You may have been with this company for a while, I'm not sure, but you're not glued to it. Sure, it would be convenient to stick it out and make the move back because you also need to finish school in the same city. Honestly, maybe you should consider moving sooner and seeing if you can either WFH in the new city or if they already have a place for you to set up camp and work, in office there.
My point here is this, don't freak out.
Talk it out.
And, if at the end of the day, they don't want to work with you and help you along the journey, then you'll know it's time to move on.
Choose what's best for you and your future overall. That's what the company is doing and will always do. They're not going to ask all important staff if working for the company will fit into your plans and will it be convenient. They're going to make moves and you can either maneuver and shift with them or you can abandon ship and move on.
Choose you. Whatever that may look like. But don't be afraid to ask first.
Any transition at this stage runs the risk of making you uncomfortable if they won't allow you to work from home, so prepare yourself for both options.
If staying with this firm is your only option, then find out why you've been chosen to work in the office and then focus your energy on finding the right conclusion that's mutually beneficial for you and the firm.
I also work in Operations, so I understand the need or the perception of needing Ops in office to answer phones and be readily accessible, but it sounds like they have an option for transferring calls so the phones is not an excuse.
Just focus on getting to the bottom of the WHY and find a solution that benefits both parties.
Good luck!
You've got this!
Nikki Davis
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NIKKI
Your curly girl manager, just trying to live her happiest life!
Wife, new mom, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. with 11 years industry experience, 6 years of management experience. Manager a team of men in a male dominant industry, while being the only woman on the team. DIY fashion blogger, a self taught seamstress. Owner/Creator of a monthly subscription service, SewConscious.com.
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