In brief: Would you be willing to sacrifice promotions and the opportunity to change roles if it meant working remotely full-time? That's the dilemma facing Dell's employees, and almost half of them have opted to stay remote due to personal, financial, and logistical reasons.
It was reported earlier this year that Dell would start classifying most workers as either remote or hybrid. Hybrid workers must come into the office at least 39 days per quarter, which is the equivalent of about three days per week. And while remote workers get to stay at home full-time, the trade-off is a lack of career advancement: no promotions or applying for new roles at the company.
Dell uses a color-coded monitoring system to ensure its remote workers are meeting their office attendance quota. Business Insider reports that it has seen this internal tracking data, and it shows almost 50% of employees have chosen to stay at home full-time despite the consequences.
BI spoke to several Dell employees about why they would opt to work from home even though it was detrimental to their careers. Some cited the practical issues: their local offices had been shut down during the pandemic, and the next closest facility was too far away. One said the people they work with were at different sites, so there was no need to go into the office at all. Another said their schedule required the flexibility that comes from WFH.
The main reasons Dell employees chose to work remotely full-time will be familiar to anyone who does it: the personal and financial benefits. Spending more time with family, having personal space, the comforts and familiarity of home, and a better work/life balance were all highlighted as being preferable to the chance of being promoted. Moreover, not having to commute regularly and spend money on lunches were financial incentives.
For some, the threat of no promotions is an empty one. Staffers said these opportunities have felt limited for years, regardless of how they choose to work. But many are aggrieved by the company's ultimatum, and are looking for other jobs that don't push people back into the office.
Dell says that "in-person connections paired with a flexible approach are critical to drive innovation and value differentiation." Its transition away from WFH began in early 2023, when it demanded workers living within an hour's commute of the nearest company office return for three days per week.
A survey in 2022 showed that 96% of people would be willing to give up a percentage of their salary to work from home permanently. And not just a small amount: 30% would give up half or more, while 2 in 5 would take between 25% and 50% less pay to keep working from home indefinitely. Respondents were also willing to give up benefits such as health insurance and paid time off.