Should Trump mandate that federal employees return to in person work schedules?

Factfinder

@just_sayin

Well you'd have to have a way of discerning just how much is getting accomplished no matter which way you go. But the population of DC is 678,972 (2023) so if shops are closing or struggling then perhaps they need to put out better products at reasonable prices? And stop voting along party lines in favor of those who hate capitalism and entrepreneurship?

just_sayin

Factfinder said:

@just_sayin

Well you'd have to have a way of discerning just how much is getting accomplished no matter which way you go. But the population of DC is 678,972 (2023) so if shops are closing or struggling then perhaps they need to put out better products at reasonable prices? And stop voting along party lines in favor of those who hate capitalism and entrepreneurship?

According to pre-COVID census data, the daytime population of Washington, D.C. increases by 79 percent during the day, swelling the population from around 600,000 residents to over 1 million people (McKenzie, Koerber, Fields, Benetsky, and Rapino 2013).  So restaurants around the national mall and near federal buildings have been impacted.

The Hill, in Federal telework improves productivity. Why is Congress so desperate to limit it? reports:

Alessandra Fenizia and Tom Kirchmaier, researchers from the George Washington University and the London School of Economics, focus on productivity effects of work-from-home arrangements in public sector jobs. The results show that public employees working remotely recorded a 12 percent increase in productivity compared to when they were in the office — a remarkable finding that runs counter to the assumptions underlying current Congressional proposals to force federal employees back into the office.

It is counter-intuitive, but I can understand this.  I know that I rarely have to go into a federal facility anymore and as a result, I get calls much earlier and later.  People didn't want to bother you when you were out of the office or at home.  But now, there is less thought about this.  Commute times are severally reduced and this frees up hours every day, so people are more refreshed.  Plus, without all the distractions and face to face meetings, people can focus more.  

Factfinder

@just_sayin

Okay, if I take what you say at face value, (and I don't see a problem with that) then sure, let the workers work from home. The shops despite losing the influx of daily workers, are responsible for their own entrepreneurships. Businesses adapt to changing times or they sink. With over 600,000 people there is opportunity to put out a good, reasonably priced product. People are still working in the city and people still visit the city and the tourist attractions.

just_sayin

Factfinder said:

@just_sayin

Okay, if I take what you say at face value, (and I don't see a problem with that) then sure, let the workers work from home. The shops despite losing the influx of daily workers, are responsible for their own entrepreneurships. Businesses adapt to changing times or they sink. With over 600,000 people there is opportunity to put out a good, reasonably priced product. People are still working in the city and people still visit the city and the tourist attractions.

Personally, I could argue this topic either way.  I'm a contractor, and the federal office I work for gave all contractor office space away.  I couldn't go back into the office regularly if I wanted to.  So, it doesn't personally affect me.  And I don't miss the commute, which was over an hour each way every day.  I do miss seeing, in person, my team mates.  I talk on Teams or the phone with them but it isn't the same, as most of those calls are job related.  

The top secret jobs can't work from home and have to go in.  Rather than a mandate, I think each federal office should determine what works best for them.  I can definitely see where work from home policies can be taken advantage of, but if productivity is up, then I don't see why you would want to stop that.

jack

just_sayin said:

Or is it better for them to work remotely from their homes?

Hello just_:

Oh, it's much cheaper to have our employees work from home..  Then we can turn all DC real estate into condos, and make a fortune.   How much can we get for the White House?? 

Ain't America great?

excon

RickeyHoltsclaw

At least 75% of the DeepState bureaucracy needs to be fired...

just_sayin

jack said:

just_sayin said:

Or is it better for them to work remotely from their homes?

Hello just_:

Oh, it's much cheaper to have our employees work from home..  Then we can turn all DC real estate into condos, and make a fortune.   How much can we get for the White House?? 

Ain't America great?

excon

There are a lot of near empty buildings in DC right now.  I wish you were right and they would sell some of them.  But the government isn't really into giving back stuff.  Just taking stuff from people.

Bogan

Public service jobs are now simply sheltered workshops for those who do not want to work.   No wonder public servants are nearly all Democrats and why "the swamp" would do anything to prevent the election of Donald Trump to be President of the USA.   If Elon Musk can save Twitter from financial bankruptcy simply by firing 80% of Twitter employees, most of whom did nothing, then you can see why the USA is $32 trillion dollars in dept.  

just_sayin

Bogan said:

Public service jobs are now simply sheltered workshops for those who do not want to work.   No wonder public servants are nearly all Democrats and why "the swamp" would do anything to prevent the election of Donald Trump to be President of the USA.   If Elon Musk can save Twitter from financial bankruptcy simply by firing 80% of Twitter employees, most of whom did nothing, then you can see why the USA is $32 trillion dollars in dept.  

Hey Bogie,  I read somewhere that it takes about half a million dollars and 2 years of work to fire an employee.  That figure includes all the people's time and the work needed to get rid of just one bad employee.  After the 6 month probationary period, it is really hard to get rid of a government employee, even when you have an obvious case.  The union will fight you tooth and nail, and a manager has to really be committed to getting rid of someone to put in all the necessary work to get it done.

Bogan

@just_sayin ;    Hey Bogie,  I read somewhere that it takes about half a million dollars and 2 years of work to fire an employee.  That figure includes all the people's time and the work needed to get rid of just one bad employee.  After the 6 month probationary period, it is really hard to get rid of a government employee, even when you have an obvious case.  The union will fight you tooth and nail, and a manager has to really be committed to getting rid of someone to put in all the necessary work to get it done.

Trump apparently does not think so.  That is why he hired Elon Musk and Vivek to begin the process of cleaning up "the swamp."      One department Trump sees as entirely unnecessary is the Federal Bureau of Education.   Trump asked why do they need  Federal Bureau of education when every state already has one?   And what on earth have they been doing for the last 40 years since US education standards have dropped so much?    Vivek noted that there were 440 Federal departments, many with overlapping jurisdictions with state departments.   That mean that something like 2.5 Federal government departments have bee created for every year that the USA has been in existence.   It may be hard to fire Federal employees within their departments, but not to eradicate a complete department of shiny bums.