--R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,503 Electronic Arts has announced to employees that it will be ending its remote working policies permanently, and implementing a full return to office. In an email sent to employees today viewed by IGN, CEO Andrew Wilson said that in-person work results in "a kinetic energy that fuels creativity, innovation, and connection, often resulting in unexpected breakthroughs that lead to incredible experiences for our players." He then went on to broadly outline that "hybrid work" would now be defined as a "minimum of three days a week in your local office," and that "offsite local roles" would be gradually phased out. Click to expand... Click to shrink... In a follow-up email from EA Entertainment president, Laura Miele, also viewed by IGN, she clarified further details, describing the company as moving from "a decentralized approach to a globally consistent, enterprise-wide work model": Click to expand... Click to shrink... These changes will not take effect immediately. Employees should continue working as directed by your Business Unit until further notice, regardless of where you live. Work model transitions will come with a minimum 12-week notice period before any changes are implemented. The timing will vary by location and will be communicated locally with plenty of notice. Hybrid work will mean working from your local office at least three days per week–this aligns with what's outlined in Andrew's EA Action. We are introducing a new 30-mile/48-km radius around EA locations. What this means: Employees who live within 30-miles/48-km of an EA location will transition to a Hybrid work model. Employees who live outside the 30-mile/48-km radius will be considered remote unless their role is designated as On Site or Hybrid. We will also sunset the Offsite Local work model. Depending on your location, this transition may take 3 to 24 months. Any work model exception and future Remote hires will require a CEO Direct's /my approval. Several sources within EA speaking to IGN anonymously said that employees were upset and confused, with some employees sharing hours-long commutes they were now being expected to make, or expressing concerns regarding childcare or personal medical conditions that had benefited from remote work. Others, classified as remote and outside the 30-mile range, expressed concern for what would happen to their roles if they were unwilling or unable to move closer to an office long-term. Two sources explained to IGN that per the breakdown sent by Miele, existing remote workers would have their "exemptions" to return to office "sunset" sometime in the next 3 to 24 months. Click to expand... Click to shrink... EA Pushes Full Return to Office, Effectively Ends Remote Hiring - IGN Electronic Arts has announced to employees that it will be ending its remote working policies permanently, and implementing a full return to office. www.ign.com   Lirael Member Oct 27, 2017 16,623 So, mass layoffs incoming then.   ASleepingMonkey The Fallen Oct 26, 2017 4,575 Iowa 3 - 24 months is such an absurd window for that one point lol   Star-Lord Member Oct 25, 2017 7,941 That fucking sucks, I don't understand how a job can be done for this many years remote / hybrid and they now decide nah   ket Member Jul 27, 2018 15,035 worthless fucking management   Capricorn "This guy are sick" Avenger Oct 25, 2017 902 Fuck EA and any other company that pulls this kind of shit.   Last edited: Today at 6:41 PM MANTRA Member Feb 21, 2024 1,093 More layoffs without doing the laying off.   TeenageFBI One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 11,313 "Sunset" is just the worst verb.   Skel1ingt0n Member Oct 28, 2017 11,466 Lirael said: So, mass layoffs incoming then. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yep, this is what you should take from this. Our company went from (for some roles) - "you can work wherever and we're definitely keeping that way" to "if you live within 45 miles and 60 min of the office, you need to come in 3-4 days a week" all in a matter of two months. Of course some people say "eff that," which is what they want. It's a silent layoff.  super-famicom Avenger Oct 26, 2017 30,398 Boooo   Azzie Member Dec 1, 2024 673 Andrew Wilson said that in-person work results in "a kinetic energy that fuels creativity, innovation, and connection, often resulting in unexpected breakthroughs that lead to incredible experiences for our players." Click to expand... Click to shrink... Says the man who only has 1 answer to everything "live service microtransactions".  Skel1ingt0n Member Oct 28, 2017 11,466 ASleepingMonkey said: 3 - 24 months is such an absurd window for that one point lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... Lines up nicely for when we'll get our next tidbit of Mass Effect information.  NinjaScooter Member Oct 25, 2017 60,606 Star-Lord said: That fucking sucks, I don't understand how a job can be done for this many years remote / hybrid and they now decide nah Click to expand... Click to shrink... middle and upper management have to look like they are doing something.  loco Member Jan 6, 2021 8,548 Wow I know people at EA that work from states that have no official offices. That really sucks   Khanimus Avenger Oct 25, 2017 46,384 Greater Vancouver 🖕   Kill3r7 Member Oct 25, 2017 28,969 Skel1ingt0n said: Yep, this is what you should take from this. Our company went from (for some roles) - "you can work wherever and we're definitely keeping that way" to "if you live within 45 miles and 60 min of the office, you need to come in 3-4 days a week" all in a matter of two months. Of course some people say "eff that," which is what they want. It's a silent layoff. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The economy isn't exactly booming right now but your analysis is spot on.  WildArms Member Apr 30, 2022 2,810 This seems to be a nation wide thing. I'm Canadian and just my other week my current employer pushed an email out stating the same thing. Then, just the other day, my wife's company did the same thing. Man... Glad my new company I'll be working for is fully remote. I absolutely hate commuting... I already work 12 hour days on top of commuting 2 hours. At least it's only 3 days a week and my last day is the Friday after this Friday.  Cess007 Member Oct 27, 2017 15,444 B.C., Mexico CEO Andrew Wilson said that in-person work results in "a kinetic energy that fuels creativity, innovation, and connection, often resulting in unexpected breakthroughs that lead to incredible experiences for our players." Click to expand... Click to shrink... "I cannot wait to see all this incredible creative pitches and be the first one to ask them "how do you plan to include microtransactions in this?"   HardRojo One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 28,813 Peru NinjaScooter said: middle and upper management have to look like they are doing something. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, I only go to the office once a week (didn't actually go this week) and it's only upper management that seems to be going a few days a week. They got time to plan all the boring shit like presentations with dances, sketches and all that crap.   lone_stranger Member Aug 24, 2018 469 I don't view hybrid the same as a "full return to office", but it does suck that people who were exclusively remote won't have the option anymore. I wish I knew how common full-time remote work was for the big publishers. For some reason I thought hybrid was the typical approach already.   Tommy Showbiz Member Jul 20, 2022 3,647 I think it was Jason Schreier who said that Respawn being able to fully coalesce around remote work was a huge part of why that studio had been so successful in recent years. So uh, great job with that EA.   ket Member Jul 27, 2018 15,035 management loves the idea of keeping an eye on their employees even if that's pointless. they love having control.   Twister Member Feb 11, 2019 6,622 Return to office is bullshit. EA employees, resist and do not comply. Any job that can be done at home should be allowed to be done at home, full stop, period. This is a control tactic. Don't let these greedy pieces of shit take away your freedom and happiness. Stop clogging the roads and leave that space for emergency vehicles and people with jobs who cannot be remote. Stop contributing to carbon emissions with thousands of extra cars on the road. Stop building giant office parks that could be used for green spaces or more housing. Resist this bullshit. Make the CEOs sorry they ever even tried.  vixolus Prophet of Truth Member Sep 22, 2020 70,551 Companies doing their best to try and put the toothpaste back in the tube   Freezasaurus Member Oct 25, 2017 58,746 What is it with oldheads and these office mandates? It's not the 1950s anymore, bozos.   Juryvicious Member Oct 28, 2017 8,129 Lirael said: So, mass layoffs incoming then. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The cynic in me agrees, unfortunately, as this was my first thought as well. Most of the employee pro-progress in recent years has evaporated. And EA are not alone, far from it.  JRedCX Member Nov 10, 2020 1,242 Soft layoff...   FrostweaveBandage Unshakable Resolve Member Sep 27, 2019 9,813 Star-Lord said: That fucking sucks, I don't understand how a job can be done for this many years remote / hybrid and they now decide nah Click to expand... Click to shrink... The thing that never made sense to me is how these multinational companies ever operated if they believe everyone being in the same place was critical to business success.   Mauricio_Magus Member Oct 25, 2017 15,772 So they want people to quit, got it.   ghibli99 Member Oct 27, 2017 20,468 What is "offsite local"? Is that the "within 30 miles" group so they can force the hybrid model on them?   TrojanAg Unshakable Resolve Member Oct 25, 2017 4,498 Management loves to act like working on-site will create such an efficient workplace but it's definitely the opposite. Traveling to and from work alone is just a massive waste of time, and you would think that they would've learned their lesson by now. I guess they just have to justify their existence and micromanage/pester you in person.   medinaria Member Oct 30, 2017 2,912 why do people come up with useless bespoke terminology for shit like what is "offsite local", is this the same as remote, or does this mean like "person who works remote but within commute range of an office" if they're aiming to distinguish between "people who we think could work in-person and therefore will be" and "people who can't and therefore don't have to" that's at least not the dumbest thing I've ever seen? it's still pretty dumb but like, "all remote people worldwide must report to their nearest branch" is a bit absurd when you don't have any US offices east of texas lol  nsilvias Member Oct 25, 2017 29,956 its funny how these companies could save a ton of money by cutting out middle management and a building and all the bills that come with it but they wont do it.   Vourlis Member Aug 14, 2022 5,814 United States What's the fucking difference if you have 38 office locations worldwide... God forbid people like to work and be equally productive beyond a cubicle. Just give people the option...  Last edited: Today at 6:57 PM Tunesmith Fraud & Player Security Verified Oct 25, 2017 2,195 ASleepingMonkey said: 3 - 24 months is such an absurd window for that one point lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... some locations can accomodate influx of onsite staff sooner than others.   Twister Member Feb 11, 2019 6,622 nsilvias said: its funny how these companies could save a ton of money by cutting out middle management and a building and all the bills that come with it but they wont do it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Eventually they'll have to. This is the old heads clinging to their last grasp of power before offices become a thing of the past. Remote work will be the norm for office jobs within the next 10-15 years   DontHateTheBacon Unshakable Resolve Member Oct 27, 2017 14,411 Soft layoffs huh   skyappl Member Oct 25, 2017 337 As others have noted, this is a layoff without triggering related laws or having to pay unemployment insurance.   Aztechnology Community Resettler Avenger Oct 25, 2017 15,382 nsilvias said: its funny how these companies could save a ton of money by cutting out middle management and a building and all the bills that come with it but they wont do it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Actually they're doing this specifically as a tactic for wage suppression and stuff like that. When you make jobs scarce (layoffs are coming) they get to put downwards pressure on wages etc. All the shit right now including AI is just that. You can't have labor feeling like they have any power  Supreme Leader Galahad ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 27, 2017 2,847 Brazil Wraps for EA if Battlefield fails to deliver.   Duffking Member Oct 27, 2017 6,686 EA announce their intention to be a less enticing workplace than their competitors.   Qikz Member Oct 25, 2017 13,739 NinjaScooter said: middle and upper management have to look like they are doing something. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's also hilarious because until now upper management were working from home all the time and will continue to once they've forced everyone back in the office. They don't want us to have that benefit (us in the general sense) - its 100% fuck you got mine. If someone has proven they can work from home perfectly well then if you force them back into an office you're an asshole imo. If someones doing a bad job working remotely fine, force them back into the office and test them but punishing everyone is shitty.  klauskpm ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 26, 2017 3,836 Brazil This to me is 2 things. As others said, it is to have people do the layoff themselves. And second, it is because it is becoming more and more common, so people have less options to go to. It sucks. And it sucks even more because it is not even about performance or quality. It is about control. If it was about performance and quality, it would be optional. So people who knows they perform better, or prefer to, could go on-site. If only the people who ask others to be professionals would also treat others as adults and professionals.  Ambient Member Dec 23, 2017 9,258 Brace for layoffs   Ensorcell Member Oct 27, 2017 7,405 They almost always pull these back when they see the results and/or they are done with workforce reduction no matter the industry. They won't be honest because they don't want to pay severance. All it does it crater employee engagement and they know it. Slimeballs.   BertChintus Member Dec 18, 2024 261 klauskpm said: This to me is 2 things. As others said, it is to have people do the layoff themselves. And second, it is because it is becoming more and more common, so people have less options to go to. It sucks. And it sucks even more because it is not even about performance or quality. It is about control. If it was about performance and quality, it would be optional. So people who knows they perform better, or prefer to, could go on-site. If only the people who ask others to be professionals would also treat others as adults and professionals. Click to expand... Click to shrink... On some level, it is kinda about performance. Haven't their games been underperforming lately?  Mesoian ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 28, 2017 31,655 Lirael said: So, mass layoffs incoming then. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yup. The bigger joke is that in 12 months they'll open up remote work again because no one wants to move to Redwood City.  BassForever One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 31,607 CT Ensorcell said: They almost always pull these back when they see the results and/or they are done with workforce reduction no matter the industry. They won't be honest because they don't want to pay severance. All it does it crater employee engagement and they know it. Slimeballs. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yep, cause ultimately if a high performing employee is too far away and/or doesn't want to fully commit to working in office, management will look the other way. Mesoian said: Yup. The bigger joke is that in 12 months they'll open up remote work again because no one wants to move to Redwood City. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Or look to outsource work to other countries. Nothing says "in office creativity" like being on a teams call with another team half way around the world.   HockeyBird Member Oct 27, 2017 13,757 Knowing employees are being forced back into the office definitely gives me the urge to spend money in Apex Legends.   TheForsaken Member Jul 24, 2024 420 Very similar to what my tech company did just recently as well.