A woman is highlighting the harsh reality of return-to-office mandates that some companies are starting to implement four years after the coronavirus pandemic forced everyone to work from home.
While some may dismiss those complaining about return-to-office mandates as lazy, one woman revealed that it is much more complicated than that, and most people complaining are more worried about their finances than how much sleep they’ll lose.
Ashley (@ashmoney92) has been working remotely for over five years. As a parent and the owner of a young puppy, it has been an ideal setup.
However, her CEO recently announced that all employees must come into the office four days a week. While the CEO argued the purpose of his decision was to promote collaboration, the repercussions were seriously hurting some workers, like Ashley.
Ashley, who has not worked more than three days per week in an office, said that she did the math and returning to the office would cost her $13,000.
“The extended childcare that I will need, the care for my puppy that I will need, and gas alone will cost me over $13,000,” she shared in a TikTok video. “And I’m not getting a raise to go into the office.”
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“When you hear about these return-to-office mandates and wonder why people are so upset about it, it’s not because we’re lazy, it’s not because we refuse to go into the office. It’s because in many cases, like mine, it’s a massive pay cut,” Ashley said.
According to data from LendingTree, the average worker spends around $5,725 commuting to and from the office, including other factors such as gas and parking.
Additionally, American families where both parents work spend around 24% of their household income on childcare costs, per 2024 data from Care.com. Single parents spend nearly 50% of their total income.
Many parents facing return-to-office mandates are being forced out of the workplace because the cost of no longer working from home is financially unsustainable.
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Even if they may be working in their PJs in the comfort of their own kitchen, remote employees are working just as hard as those in an office setting.
Not wanting to return to in-person settings has nothing to do with being lazy.
In fact, research indicates that remote workers can save up to $6,000 more than in-office workers since they are not only spending less on gas and childcare but also because they have fewer opportunities to spend.
When you are on your way home from work and worry that you may get caught in traffic, you may grab dinner from a restaurant or a fast-food place along the way.
When you and your colleagues all leave the office at the same time, you may say, “Hey, might as well all go out for a drink together!” While there is nothing wrong with the occasional to-go meal or drink with colleagues, expenses can quickly add up before you know it.
Jacob Lund | Shutterstock
Remote work may have you preparing more home-cooked meals since your kitchen is right next to your office. It may have you saving money on a gym membership since you can just hop on the treadmill in your basement instead of hitting the gym on the way home from work.
Flexibility has become a staple of remote work, and parents need those schedules more than most.
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Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.
