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‘Massive step back’: Techie slams mandatory 5-day office rule, cites Bengaluru traffic and soaring rents
A techie said mandatory 5-day office work in Bengaluru feels like a step back despite smooth remote work.
A full stack engineer with 10 years of experience has sparked a discussion online after sharing frustration over his company’s decision to make five days of work from office mandatory. The techie, whose office is in Bengaluru, said he had been living in his hometown for the past few years as his company had allowed employees to work from home.
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Taking to Reddit, the user wrote, “I’m a full stack engineer with 10 years of experience. I’ve been living in my hometown because my company allowed WFH, while my office is in Bengaluru. Recently, management announced mandatory 5 days WFO for everyone by December.”
The post was titled, “Mandatory 5 day office feels like a massive step back.”
‘Nothing was broken’
In the post, the techie said the decision was difficult to understand as productivity and collaboration had not suffered during remote work. He wrote, “What makes this frustrating is that productivity and collaboration were never a problem. Work was delivered on time, teams functioned fine remotely, and nothing was broken. Yet now everyone is expected to relocate and completely change their lifestyle.”
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He further said he had lived in Bengaluru before the COVID period and was aware of the challenges that come with the city. “I lived in Bengaluru before COVID, so I already know the reality: terrible traffic, expensive rent, long commutes, high living costs, and almost no personal time left after work. Moving back with family would destroy most of my savings despite the salary,” he added.
The techie said he had built a good work from home setup over the years and preferred a routine that allowed him to spend time on learning, fitness, hobbies and family instead of commuting for hours.
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“For a role that is fully digital and already working efficiently remotely, I honestly don’t see the need for mandatory office attendance. ‘Team collaboration’ increasingly feels like a corporate excuse for control and visibility rather than an actual productivity need,” he wrote.
Take a look here at the post:
Reddit users react
The post drew several reactions from Reddit users, many of whom agreed with the techie’s concerns. One user wrote, “The real issue is not office work, it is forcing people to relocate without any real need.” Another added, “If the work was happening smoothly from home, this feels more like management control than productivity.”
One user wrote, “Five days WFO after years of remote work is a huge lifestyle shock.” Another said, “Rent, commute and food costs will eat up a big part of the salary.” A user also remarked, “Hybrid would have been a better middle ground.” Another added, “Not every role needs office attendance, especially fully digital roles.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
