Principal Financial-Remote work

[dmclone]

Principle told me that they don’t hire “college educated idiots”

I find this REALLY hard to believe. Also, it's Principal.

 

[GoldCy]

100% remote and I'm managing other employees that are 100% remote on both coasts. As long as they meet their project goals on time, I'm happy.

Wonder how much time you spend on sites like this.
It's not surprising that traffic on forums drop off outside normal working hours.

 

[CycloneErik]

There are other cities (I think NYC is one) where the push to get people back in the office is explicitly to help adjacent businesses such as hospitality.

That's kind of funny, too, because hospitality (at least the restaurant side) really geared up for online orders, both pickups and deliveries. We can do just fine with that.

 

[khardbored]

I work for Principal and this is not a requirement in my area. It must be a department specific thing. EDIT: Boy was I wrong. It does apply. I just got the email.

I worked for the AV integrator and I helped build the demo conference room that was used as the template for Principal's Des Moines renovations that started around 9-10 years ago. Even at that time, Principal was fully invested in having every conference room support hybrid conferencing and they even moved the entire phone system to MS Teams and only Exec level would have a physical telephone (not sure if they were able to follow through with this - I laughed at the idea of telling people to get rid of physical phones, but now I use Cisco software for my work phone). I left the integrator shortly after installing that demo room but Principal saw the need for hybrid workforce way back then - yet another sign that they didn't know how to effectively manage a remote workforce.

I have been told by someone who works as an independent IT contractor that Principal was way ahead of the game for WFH coming into Covid. Things like VOIP and remote productivity tracking were already in place.

So, while others were able to goof off working from home, I never got away with it.

It's not because of productivity. Principal already had flexibility prior to Covid so WFH wasn't exactly foreign. Also, they moved away from traditional PTO and basically gave all employees bottomless time off. This is all about downtown dying and Principal trying to help.

The bolded part only applies to salaried employees.

 

[NoCreativity]

In Des Moines? Yikes.

Yeah, alot of people are sheltered from it if you work downtown or just drive through on the freeway. If you get out into the city though around parks and trails and see it up close its staggering.

The East, North, and South sides are all getting bad.

 

[isucy86]

That’s the point though if you can’t manage people to work remote you are bad at your job. Managing people requires flexibility. Some positions may require more in person activities than others. That’s fine but there’s no reason to force people who can be 100% remote into the office because some people need to be in the office.

I’m in the office everyday except when there is something I need to be flexible on such as a personal meeting. That’s because I have to much stuff that is in the Stone Age on paper. We are currently working on modernizing that process but until then I will be in person. There are plenty of others who can do more from home and therefore they can. My job isn’t even good at WFH and other companies are moving back behind mine without mine even improving.

But managing people is only ONE aspect of remote work. Working remote is awesome for some companies and it's here to stay. But for other companies not so much. And it has nothing to do with people who can't manage employees.

Every company can make their own decision on what degree of remote work they want. IMO we will look back in 10 years and there will be VERY successful companies at both ends of the remote vs. on-site worker spectrum.

 

[CycloneErik]

I work for Principal and this is not a requirement in my area. It must be a department specific thing.



I have been told by someone who works as an independent IT contractor that Principal was way ahead of the game for WFH coming into Covid. Things like VOIP and remote productivity tracking were already in place.

So, while others were able to goof off working from home, I never got away with it.

The bolded part only applies to salaried employees.

It appears in a lot of their job ads. I checked in a lot in my search for those unicorn remote jobs.

 

[cowgirl836]

Wonder how much time you spend on sites like this.
It's not surprising that traffic on forums drop off outside normal working hours.

If he gets done what he needs to, why does it matter? Quality over quantity.

 

[khardbored]

It appears in a lot of their job ads. I checked in a lot in my search for those unicorn remote jobs.

Do you mean that WFH full-time appears a lot?

OR do you mean mandatory in-office appears a lot?

 

[dafarmer]

Sounds like bad management. I manage remote workers and I'm happy as long as they're meeting their project deadlines. I don't care when they're actually doing the work. Meet your deadlines and I'm happy.

You are too good of a manager, better get your resume’ updated.

 

[Billups06]

100% agree but every company should find a way to leverage remote work. It's the natural evolution of doing business.

Agreed. The companies that had seamless transitions during the COVID work from home were the companies that were pushing modernization and appropriate infrastructure prior to COVID.

I remember seeing a meme-like deal going around that asked:
"Who led the digital transformation/modernization of your company?
A- Executive Team
B- Consultants
C- COVID"

Obvious that COVID was the impetus for change for most companies, highlighting the lack of true leadership/vision.

 

[cowgirl836]

But managing people is only ONE aspect of remote work. Working remote is awesome for some companies and it's here to stay. But for other companies not so much. And it has nothing to do with people who can't manage employees.

Every company can make their own decision on what degree of remote work they want. IMO we will look back in 10 years and there will be VERY successful companies at both ends of the remote vs. on-site worker spectrum.

The ones most successful will be those who put the most effort into developing a robust, evidence-based system that allows for flexibility and adapts to and takes advantage of the post-Covid enviroment. Personally, I think the ones trying to strong arm their employees back into offices without a long term strategic plan will not fare as well in the talent dept.

 

[MartyFine]

In Des Moines? Yikes.

It's bad all over Iowa.

 

[dmclone]

It's bad all over Iowa.

 

[exCyDing]

The ones most successful will be those who put the most effort into developing a robust, evidence-based system that allows for flexibility and adapts to and takes advantage of the post-Covid enviroment. Personally, I think the ones trying to strong arm their employees back into offices without a long term strategic plan will not fare as well in the talent dept.

Those companies that are pushing it just to push it are going to have some trouble keeping or gaining talent. Their best employees (and best prospective employees) will have the most options, and if they'd prefer 100% WFH or minimal in office, there are plenty of companies out there that will give them that opportunity. They're also shrinking their talent pool to the surrounding areas. Where are you going to find the best employees - from around the country or within 30 miles of Des Moines? If the powers-that-be want people in the office, hiring managers will get the message that the new people better be in office or there will be some explaining necessary.

 

[CycloneErik]

Do you mean that WFH full-time appears a lot?

OR do you mean mandatory in-office appears a lot?

Yes, but specifically here that the distance thing appears a lot.

 

[cycloneG]

Wonder how much time you spend on sites like this.
It's not surprising that traffic on forums drop off outside normal working hours.

No more than when I was 100% in office!

 

[BooneCy]

My theory on all of this is that C Suite people often work by doing drive-bys with each other, having each other available for face-to-face discussions at any time, and generally have to be in the office.

As such, they think people can't be effective or efficient without doing those same things. In IT specifically, most people are actually more productive without those distractions. Example: Studies have demonstrated the huge loss of productivity from a developer having to change focus.

It's a combination of older people being in Exec positions, and the style of Execs interacting that drive so much of this... in my opinion and experience.

My employer’s CEO basically said as much. We are all currently hybrid.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

My company allows a hybrid schedule, but employees are expected to provide their own WFH equipment (monitor, docking station, etc.). This has been a deterrent for many (which I believe is management's intent).

My company did this and nobody hesitated to buy those things. It was well worth it!

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Why do they need to be on site to react?

Operations environment, assembly driven.