Australians have taken it out on Commonwealth Bank employees who have reacted angrily to the company telling them to go back to the office.
On Monday, CEO Matt Comyn told the 49,000-strong workforce that they will be required to be in the office at least 50 percent of the time starting in July.
During an internal town hall meeting with staff to discuss the changes, angry CBA employees lashed out at management in a revolt against the mandate.
A tech worker said it would put additional pressure on families who need to arrange childcare.
But some other Australian workers have said that if staff can’t handle working half the week in the office, they should simply resign – or have their employers fire them.
Australians have unleashed on Commonwealth Bank employees who reacted furiously to the company telling them to go back to the office
“If the staff is not willing to work in the office five days a week, they should be fired,” said one of them.
“Ask for their resignation, see if they come into the office,” said another.
“Go back to the office and get to work, you lazy whiners. He’s your boss. He hires you and pays you, so do as he says. Titled and spoiled rotten,” a third commented.
“I don’t understand why people complain… I’m happy if I go to the office for three to four days, it won’t affect my family or our budget… if you don’t like your employer’s policy, just find a job elsewhere,” another posted.
Leaked comments from the online meeting with CBA technology staff revealed that several employees opposed the change and received huge support from hundreds of employees.
CBA CEO Matt Comyn (pictured) told 49,000 employees they will be required to be in the office at least 50 percent of the time starting in July
Leaked comments from the online tech staff meeting (pictured) showed several employees opposed the changes and received huge support from hundreds of colleagues
Damn screenshots of the comments were leaked to business gossip Instagram account The Aussie Corporate which labeled the meeting a “bloodbath.”
An employee anonymously said returning to the office one day a week would be a “good balance.”
Another said half the workweek behind their desks would create chaos for families who had adapted to years of working from home.
They were concerned about the increased cost of returning to office life and the impact on parents.
“Is there a consideration for people working in technology to embrace more modern ways of working?” asked the employee during the meeting.
“At a time of rising interest rates and the cost of living, the mandatory 50 percent at work will put additional pressure on our team members and family, who now need extra childcare, among other things.”
The comment was appreciated by more than 350 employees.
Another said CBA offices around the world didn’t have the room to cope with the number of staff who would have to return to work.
“With many teams spread across multiple locations (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, India etc.) and most offices don’t have the space for all engineers to be there at the same time, how should we understand the recent announcement about 50 percent of the time in the office?’ they asked.
Another member of staff also asked if the bank’s “leaders will sign their names to force teams back to the office.”
The Commonwealth Bank told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that they were simply providing a ‘framework’ for staff to return to the office.
“Our approach to hybrid working has always been about striking the right balance between our long-standing commitment to flexible working and ensuring we deliver the best outcomes for our customers,” the spokeswoman said.
An employee anonymously said returning to the office one day a week would be a “good balance.”
Another said half the workweek behind their desks would create chaos for families who had adapted to years of working from home
“In recent years we have spent time testing different working models based on our own insights, regular feedback from our people and the lessons learned from other organisations.
“Based on these experiences, we recently raised the expectation that from mid-July our people in the office must be in the office for at least 50 percent of their working time during the month.”
The bank said the move to the office was to continue to drive innovation, increase employee collaboration and improve face-to-face interactions.
The CBA says office workers are connecting with an additional 11 co-workers each day and spending between 20 and 30 minutes more time collaborating with each other.
“Our people also spend 40 percent or more of their time interacting with their leader and colleagues when they are in the office,” says Sian Lewis, the group’s chief human resources officer.
‘We have seen that innovation is a result of our people physically working together.’