Workplace policies can sometimes feel absurd.

The following story involves an employee who enjoyed a hybrid work setup.

Unfortunately, a company director decided they should report to the office 4 times a week starting in 2026.

He thought the new arrangement could be negotiated, but it looked like nothing else could be done.

Let’s take a closer look!

Adding insult to injury: Come in more until we can replace you

I work in a niche department at a very large company.

For as long as I’ve been here, we’ve worked three days a week on-site and two days at home.

Recently, the director of our department advised us that we would need to be on-site four days a week starting in 2026.

This man meets his coworkers remotely.

This is despite the facts that:

a) The CEO of the entire company said that the 3-days-in / 2-days-out schedule was “working”.

b) Our department is scattered all over the country, so most of us have no in-person interactions at the office.

For instance, I haven’t spoken to anyone in person since the week I started working here.

100% of my meetings are remote.

He attended the town hall meeting, hoping the issue would be discussed.

At the same time, a town hall meeting was announced by the same director who was implementing the new schedule.

Naturally, everyone assumed that the meeting would address the change.

I’m listening in to that town hall right now.

And the only thing they’re discussing is how awesome generative AI is.

They are telling us we should all be using it as much as possible.

It’s extremely insulting that we’re being forced to commute more than necessary.

The director was clearly dodging the topic.

But it’s even worse that the leader is dodging the topic.

In favor of telling us to do our jobs in such a way where we’re ultimately meant to be replaced.

I’m lucky that the work I do is less consistent than most of the other teams in our department.

But I feel awful for the people who do the same type of work repeatedly because they’re going to be the first to get cut.

Let’s find out what others have to say about this.

Start looking for jobs now, advises this one.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s another honest opinion.

Finally, this person calls it “quiet firing.”

Some bosses don’t know how to value their employees’ well-being.

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.