Roblox tells employees to get back in the office or find another job

[midian182]

A hot potato: Roblox has joined the long list of companies telling its employees they need to get back into the office for at least three days per week. Like Amazon, the gaming firm has given workers an ultimatum: return or find another job.

David Baszucki, Roblox's founder and CEO, made the announcement in an email to staff that was shared publicly. He wrote that a number of remote employees will be asked to start working from Roblox headquarters in San Mateo by next summer as the company transitions away from remote work.

As with most other organizations, Roblox is adopting a three-days-per-week (Tuesday to Thursday) hybrid scheme.

Returning to the office is something most people are dead against; surveys have shown a large number of employees would rather leave their jobs than stop working from home full-time.

Roblox is giving its staff until January 16, 2024, to decide if they want to stay. Those who continue working at Roblox and relocate will receive assistance with relocation costs if needed. They are expected to begin working from its San Mateo offices by July 15, 2024.

Roblox workers who are dead set against returning to the office, or "are not able to relocate," as Baszucki puts it, can stay at the company until April 15, 2024. Departing employees will receive a severance package based on their level and term of service, along with six months of healthcare coverage for everyone on their policies.

It's a little ironic that the CEO of Roblox, a company that is all about virtual worlds and even has its own in-game recruiting platform, says in-person work is more engaging, collaborative, and productive than virtual workspaces. But then Zoom, the organization that became synonymous with working from home during the pandemic, did the same thing.

"A three-hour Group Review in person is much less exhausting than over video and brainstorming sessions are more fluid and creative," Baszucki claimed.

Back in August, Amazon issued a similar ultimatum to its employees, who have long pushed back against the company's return-to-work mandate. CEO Andy Jassy issued a stark warning to those who didn't want to return: "It's probably not going to work out for you."

In addition to Amazon and Zoom, Roblox is joining TikTok, IBM Software, Google, Dell, Apple, Meta, X/Twitter, and many more who have ended full-time remote work, a move some companies once promised would never happen.

There have been plenty of studies showing the benefits of working from home, including improved mental health, a better work/life balance, and no time lost while commuting. However, a study from earlier this year claimed productivity declined by 18% among home workers.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/100536-roblox-tells-employees-get-back-office-or-find.html

 

[VitalyT]

Finding another job sounds better.

Behaving like your employer owns you is never a good idea. Don't be no-one's b##ch!

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Oh no, first time? Us "essential workers" never GOT to work from home. I'll play a tune on the worlds smallest violin.

Finding another job sounds better.

Behaving like your employer owns you is never a good idea. Don't be no-one's b##ch!

They dont own you. See, they provide you with this concept called MONEY. If you dont want to comply with the demands to get said money, that's perfectly fine, but going into the office you were hired to work in is a far cry from being "owned".

Of course, the remote work is drying up everywhere, and there are now BILLIONS worldwide competing for those jobs, so think twice before leaving a cushy gig!

 

[Bluescreendeath]

Oh no, first time? Us "essential workers" never GOT to work from home. I'll play a tune on the worlds smallest violin.
They dont own you. See, they provide you with this concept called MONEY. If you dont want to comply with the demands to get said money, that's perfectly fine, but going into the office you were hired to work in is a far cry from being "owned".
Of course, the remote work is drying up everywhere, and there are now BILLIONS worldwide competing for those jobs, so think twice before leaving a cushy gig!

People who get to work from home are people whose jobs are capable of being done remotely. Many of them entered into an agreement (eg. contract) to work remotely if they were hired during the pandemic...perhaps with expectations of full remote.

Essential workers (as defined by the state or fed govts) in government work often don't get to work from home because of legal or practical reasons, but they have excellent job security...so it's a trade off. Remote workers in the tech, IT, etc private industry have far less job security in comparison to government "essential workers."

However, it is ironic that Roblox and Zoom, companies whose business involves promoting virtual and remote interactions as an alternative to in person interactions, are indirectly admitting through their actions that their virtual/remote products are not a credible alternative to in person interactions. These companies basically back tracking on their own marketing.

 

[yRaz]

Oh no, first time? Us "essential workers" never GOT to work from home. I'll play a tune on the worlds smallest violin.
They dont own you. See, they provide you with this concept called MONEY. If you dont want to comply with the demands to get said money, that's perfectly fine, but going into the office you were hired to work in is a far cry from being "owned".

Of course, the remote work is drying up everywhere, and there are now BILLIONS worldwide competing for those jobs, so think twice before leaving a cushy gig!

well, see, most of these companies with return to work orders hired people during the pandemic to work remotely. Returning to the office requires people to spend money they didn't have to previously. Now, I drive all over the place for my job. The companies I work with rule is that I get compensated $1 per mile for everything after 50 miles in a single shift. It isn't unusual for me to drive over 200 miles in a single shift. Now these companies are asking you to relocate, possibly across the country, with no increase in compensation.

The price of everything has gone up and now these companies want us(and them) to spend MORE money just to work? Commercial real estate is absurdly expensive, If I was a large business I would cut as much office space as I could. You cut expenditures and your employees get to keep money they would spend on commuting in their pockets. It's like a pay raise without actually having to pay people more money. Going to the office is like taking a pay cut while also dedicating more time to your job in the form of commuting.

And here is the thing about slaving away to these employers, they don't care about you until tell them to F*** off. It's the main reason many places don't pay you a living wage, the only bargaining chip they have is to keep you living pay check to pay check.

Now I'm freelance but there is a company that I worked for for several years that I quit or was fired and hired back 5 times in the same week before. I still work with them on some projects just because I find the project interesting and I'm friends with many of the employees, it's just management that is a dumpster fire. Keep in mind, we're talking about a billion dollar company here.

If enough people say no, some of them are going to be people vital to the continued operation of the business. When the people vital to the continued operation of a business begin to quit they can no longer casually say "do this, or else" and I hope they get a taste of that.

Best decision I ever made was once I realized my worth I quit the corporate life and now I work freelance for many of the same companies I did before but for more money under my terms.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

ANY 3 hour meeting is exhausting!
Virtual or in person.

So maybe fix that before deciding about remote work ultimatums.

 

[RandomWAN]

If you don't like the terms of employment, then find another job. Too many people have the mentality that they're entitled to a job and more specifically "that job" that they have where they think they get to redefine the terms of the job however they want. You definitely don't get that option with an at will job and if you want the terms of your job locked in place, then take contract work. There will be legal stipulations to the job requirement that cannot be changed at whim unless there is a clause in the contract allowing for that.

People need to stop acting like they own the company they work for. If you want to have that much control over how you work, start your own company.

 

[masaaya4]

The conditions for this return to work scheme seem very generous, untill January to say yes or no, and they leave company in April with severance pay? seems generous to me.

 

[yRaz]

If you don't like the terms of employment, then find another job. Too many people have the mentality that they're entitled to a job and more specifically "that job" that they have where they think they get to redefine the terms of the job however they want. You definitely don't get that option with an at will job and if you want the terms of your job locked in place, then take contract work. There will be legal stipulations to the job requirement that cannot be changed at whim unless there is a clause in the contract allowing for that.

People need to stop acting like they own the company they work for. If you want to have that much control over how you work, start your own company.

Maybe companies should stop redefining their terms of employment years after hiring? Companies are now treating employees like the EULA in a software license agreement. There are plenty of companies that are happy for remote work because it saves them millions a year. There are others where it feels like the CEO is having an ego trip and they'll spend the shareholders money to satisfy it.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

well, see, most of these companies with return to work orders hired people during the pandemic to work remotely. Returning to the office requires people to spend money they didn't have to previously. Now, I drive all over the place for my job. The companies I work with rule is that I get compensated $1 per mile for everything after 50 miles in a single shift. It isn't unusual for me to drive over 200 miles in a single shift. Now these companies are asking you to relocate, possibly across the country, with no increase in compensation.

The price of everything has gone up and now these companies want us(and them) to spend MORE money just to work? Commercial real estate is absurdly expensive, If I was a large business I would cut as much office space as I could. You cut expenditures and your employees get to keep money they would spend on commuting in their pockets. It's like a pay raise without actually having to pay people more money. Going to the office is like taking a pay cut while also dedicating more time to your job in the form of commuting.

And here is the thing about slaving away to these employers, they don't care about you until tell them to F*** off. It's the main reason many places don't pay you a living wage, the only bargaining chip they have is to keep you living pay check to pay check.

Now I'm freelance but there is a company that I worked for for several years that I quit or was fired and hired back 5 times in the same week before. I still work with them on some projects just because I find the project interesting and I'm friends with many of the employees, it's just management that is a dumpster fire. Keep in mind, we're talking about a billion dollar company here.

If enough people say no, some of them are going to be people vital to the continued operation of the business. When the people vital to the continued operation of a business begin to quit they can no longer casually say "do this, or else" and I hope they get a taste of that.

Best decision I ever made was once I realized my worth I quit the corporate life and now I work freelance for many of the same companies I did before but for more money under my terms.

That's a risk you take when you take a remote job. Yeah, sometimes you may have to go into the office, if you want those big American sized paychecks. If you never had to go to the physical office, why on earth would they hire you over someone in flyover kansas for $10 an hour? But see, these people want to have their cake and eat it too. They want those big silicon valley/big blue city paychecks while getting to live in small town america (driving up prices for the rest of us) and not having to actually travel to work like 99% of america.

They're not asking you to build a building or purchase a company vehicle. They're just asking you to drive to work, something we ALL did 4 years ago. Remote workers are acting like this is the apocalypse because they actually have to go to work. Oh the poor babies!

Everyone has to deal with rising costs, not just these poor remote workers. The rest of us figured it out, and I can guarantee most people are not making developer money. Just FYI, the average roblox dev is making $120k+ a year, "dev"ing for a company where 99% of content is user generated.

0 sympathy. Live within your means and having to move after 3+ years of remote work wont destroy your life.

 

[yRaz]

Live within your means and having to move after 3+ years of remote work wont destroy your life.

Yes, it quiet literally would. It would take me away from my nieces, nephews and aging mother. It would take me away from a town I have established a life in, my family, my friends.

That's a risk you take when you take a remote job. Yeah, sometimes you may have to go into the office, if you want those big American sized paychecks. If you never had to go to the physical office, why on earth would they hire you over someone in flyover kansas for $10 an hour? But see, these people want to have their cake and eat it too. They want those big silicon valley/big blue city paychecks while getting to live in small town america (driving up prices for the rest of us) and not having to actually travel to work like 99% of america.

It's not the risk you take when you take a remote job. The terms were clearly laid on in the original contract and I would like to see what in the contract allows them to change the terms of employment years after hiring. There is no money to be made in silicon valley. I live in 2 bedroom house in Pittsburgh for $1100/m. The cost of living in silicon valley is so high that a single person living on 100k+/yr is barely scraping by. I had to work out in Colorado for 3 months and my studio apartment was nearly $4000/m. If I didn't want to pay that I would have had to drive 2 hours each way to work. Granted, I was reimbursed for that, but many people have kids an hauling kids out of schools, away from their friends is just ignorant. Other people also aren't as lucky as me having employers reimburse you for housing. Then to add insult to financial injury, they're moving only make less money overall because you have to move to a place where the cost of living is sky high.

 

[m4a4]

Oh no, first time? Us "essential workers" never GOT to work from home. I'll play a tune on the worlds smallest violin.
They dont own you. See, they provide you with this concept called MONEY. If you dont want to comply with the demands to get said money, that's perfectly fine, but going into the office you were hired to work in is a far cry from being "owned".

Of course, the remote work is drying up everywhere, and there are now BILLIONS worldwide competing for those jobs, so think twice before leaving a cushy gig!

Ah, so, because you have to go into work every day, every else should have to regardless as well?

What a sad, narrow way of thinking. If you're really that jealous of work-from-home opportunities that you're bringing your misery to the comments section, you should look for a better opportunity. You know, instead of crapping on anyone else that was promised the opportunity, only to have it reneged on them...

 

[Bluescreendeath]

They want those big silicon valley/big blue city paychecks while getting to live in small town america (driving up prices for the rest of us) and not having to actually travel to work like 99% of america.

First, many tech companies and the US federal government determines peoples' salaries based on their location/area cost of living. LCOL area people gets paid less, HCOL area people gets paid more. So if highly paid tech workers driving up prices in small towns is the main issue here, then what makes sense is for other companies to adopt a similar pay scale based on COL.

Second, around 27% (according to BLS) or almost 50% (according to private company research) of Americans have full or partial telecommute/remote work. So it is not "99%" of Americans who travel to work every day. It's somewhere around 50% or 73% depending on the source. So somewhere around a third to half of Americans are on part time telecommute (hybrid work) or full time telecommute and don't have to travel to work every single day.

 

[RandomWAN]

Maybe companies should stop redefining their terms of employment years after hiring? Companies are now treating employees like the EULA in a software license agreement. There are plenty of companies that are happy for remote work because it saves them millions a year. There are others where it feels like the CEO is having an ego trip and they'll spend the shareholders money to satisfy it.

It's at will work, not contract work. They can redefine it whenever they want as it's their company and their decision to do so. You're legally free to leave at any time if you don't like the changes. Again, start your own company if you want to set the rules. That's why many people start consulting firms after they have enough of a career under their belt, so they can have control in defining how and when they work.

 

[yRaz]

It's at will work, not contract work. They can redefine it whenever they want as it's their company and their decision to do so. You're legally free to leave at any time if you don't like the changes.

This is actually not true. There are right to work states where this is true but there are things in contracts, in my contracts it's called a "non-compete agreement" where I can't work on similar projects for 6 months after leaving a company. The catch being that after the job is completed I can go work for whoever I want and that it doesn't apply to anyone other projects I working outside of the one that I'm hired on. So if I'm working for two companies, as long as Company A is okay that I'm also working with Company B then the non-compete agreement isn't valid. I've only had one instance where this was an issue and it was solved by signing an NDA.

People really need to learn more about what their rights as workers are. There are plenty of tricks that HR and companies will play on you to try to get you to quit without taking your benefits with you or a severance package. Frankly, most of this corporate BS is the reason I decided to work freelance. I was tired of navigating my contract and rights as an employee with the games that HR will try to get people to 'quit' instead of lay you off. I've had HR flat out lie about me quitting before so they didn't have to give me severance pay or unemployment.

 

[RandomWAN]

This is actually not true. There are right to work states where this is true but there are things in contracts, in my contracts it's called a "non-compete agreement" where I can't work on similar projects for 6 months after leaving a company. The catch being that after the job is completed I can go work for whoever I want and that it doesn't apply to anyone other projects I working outside of the one that I'm hired on. So if I'm working for two companies, as long as Company A is okay that I'm also working with Company B then the non-compete agreement isn't valid. I've only had one instance where this was an issue and it was solved by signing an NDA.

People really need to learn more about what their rights as workers are. There are plenty of tricks that HR and companies will play on you to try to get you to quit without taking your benefits with you or a severance package. Frankly, most of this corporate BS is the reason I decided to work freelance. I was tired of navigating my contract and rights as an employee with the games that HR will try to get people to 'quit' instead of lay you off. I've had HR flat out lie about me quitting before so they didn't have to give me severance pay or unemployment.

Of course the specifics of each depends on the laws in place in the state that the company is operating out of, but most states are at-will states and not right-to-work states. The specifics of what they are allowed to do depends on that state's laws and what was contractually agreed to. You're discussing minutiae of a specific contract which I already covered. If it's not something covered in a binding contract as can or cannot do, then they can change those terms if they choose, barring any laws that prevent them from doing so. I fully understand how all of this works and we're both speaking in generalities since there have been no details or specific cases laid out. Information covering most of what rights you have is readily available and people don't learn any of it because they're too lazy to educate themselves outside a small range of interests and the public education system waste a lot of resources teaching you less useful information rather than information that will be more applicable to your day to day life.

What I don't get is the mentality of people who think they're entitled to a job if there is no contractual agreement in place that guarantees that job or that they think they're entitled to dictate the terms of that job after the fact. If remote work is so important to you, then you get that locked in legally on the front end before accepting a job. If that is open to change, then you either accept it or move on. I certainly wouldn't want to stay at a job that was demanding of me something I didn't want to do. No matter how that plays out in a legal sense, it's going to make for some level of animosity that I'd rather not deal with.

 

[zulu53]

I am not sure why they were so kind as to give the employees 3 months. The true kindness would have been to just tell them the truth (remote work is not real work - which message has been around for months)and give them the standard 1 paycheck termination period. The actual employee decision should take less than 60secs. Message for the employee - good luck finding any company with a long term plan to exist which will allow remote work. Or rather - why don't you just move on and become gaming journalists for online publications like Techspot or PCMag or ..................................).

 

[lonetac]

Clearly a lot of jealous andy's here. Roblox is doing these folks a favor. They will find higher paying jobs that allow remote work. Top talent dictates where they work, they dont have to worry, they will never not have a job. If you work in IT and you are good, you have nothing to worry about.

Our company allowed remote work before the pandemic and now we are even more remote, our offices are empty. We have remained profitable and continue to grow. Our managers know how to evaluate employees based on performance and objectives, not staring over the shoulder of someone to bring them perceived value.

Articles like this just show how terrible a companies management really is. You dont want to work for this company. Just go somewhere else. Unless you are a bottom feeder, you have nothing to worry about in this industry.

A lot of these jobs that are remote that folks are so jealous they dont have the intellectual capacity to understand why they are remote. My team is global, my office doesnt have a single person I interact with there including nobody from my team, no managers, nothing. Why would they mandate me to go in when everything I do is global? Like yeah, I dont work in construction so I can work remotely.

A lot of "im miserable so everyone has to be miserable" in every "remote work isnt work go to the office you lazy bum" comment. It just shows pure ignorance around the topic.

 

[king cleanass]

Corporate landlords have to eat too I guess