No Promotion policy
Dell Technologies Inc. had a hybrid working culture for more than ten years prior to the COVID-19 epidemic. But in February, the business enforced a stringent policy regarding returning to work and threatened to take legal action against anyone who opted to stay at home. Workers were told that starting in May, all workers will fall under the new policy’s “hybrid” or “remote” categories. This was revealed by Business Insider (BI).
Hybrid workers will be required to report to an authorized workplace for at least 39 days per quarter, or around three days per week, according to internal documents that BI was able to get. There is a drawback for those who wish to keep working from home. Employees who work from home are not eligible for role changes or promotions.
For almost ten years, a senior Dell employee has operated remotely, as reported by Business Insider: “Dell cared about the work, not the location.” I estimate that 10% to 15% of each team worked remotely.”
The email sent to Dell staff, according to BI, reads, “For remote team members, it is important to understand the trade-offs: Career advancement, including applying to new roles in the company, will require a team member to reclassify as hybrid onsite.”
“Approved” offices
The new policy is already having an impact on one Dell employee. Dell’s list of “approved” locations comprises 26 locations worldwide and 17 in the US, however it does not include the senior employee’s closest location. Now that I know, I don’t have an office. I am therefore remote, or I can relocate if I so want.
The long-serving remote worker received a promotion offer, which BI reviewed, around the same time as the RTO mandate was declared.
The individual would need to relocate to a location close to an “approved” site in addition to starting to work in the office in order to accept the promotion.
“Silent firing”
people who spoke with BI also expressed the opinion that the new policies are intended to “quiet fire”—fire people without cause. Many employees have been talking about leaving in Discord discussions since the news, one said, adding, “This level of micromanagement makes me want to leave Dell.”
Speaking with BI, two additional employees—one of whom was stationed in Germany—stated that many more were now thinking about quitting Dell. According to an SEC filing from February of last year, Dell reduced 6,600 jobs, or roughly 5% of its staff, as a result of weak PC sales.
“Culture is not the issue. In a word, the senior Dell employee concurred. “We are suffering because personnel reductions are necessary. People are not required to pay severance if they quit on their own. Cooper concurred that some resignations would occur due to the degree of control under this strategy.
People’s perception that they have little control or autonomy over their jobs is a significant contributing factor to workplace illness, according to him. “Perhaps they are thinking, ‘Well, the folks who are prepared who are not prepared to come into the office,’ if they are downsizing. They can, however, go elsewhere.
