Omicron and RTO Forum

[cisscum]

Given the other thread was derailed thought a new somewhat related thread could be made. Will RTO (for most firms in January) be delayed by Omicron? Will it have any Long term effect on ability of firms to bring people back to office or will it come and go? What are people hearing?

No covid debates please

[almostperfectt]

Given the other thread was derailed thought a new somewhat related thread could be made. Will RTO (for most firms in January) be delayed by Omicron? Will it have any Long term effect on ability of firms to bring people back to office or will it come and go? What are people hearing?

No covid debates please

"Hey how will covid affect our industry? Please don't talk about covid though"

[cisscum]

Given the other thread was derailed thought a new somewhat related thread could be made. Will RTO (for most firms in January) be delayed by Omicron? Will it have any Long term effect on ability of firms to bring people back to office or will it come and go? What are people hearing?

No covid debates please

"Hey how will covid affect our industry? Please don't talk about covid though"

Perfectly doable to talk about the impact of something without debating what should / should not be done (most of us are associated and our opinions on the matter don't mean shit anyways)

[Anonymous User]

My firm had a vague "early 22" RTO plan, I fully expect omicron to keep this vague, and it's likely that firms with hard Jan timelines will push it back.

Most people come in to the office 2-3 days a week anyway, so tbh I kinda hope this just becomes the new normal. You need some face time and in person meetings but it's nice to have flexibility.

Edit - apologies if the second paragraph is too opinionated, not trying to trigger debates. But I think firms are aware that people aren't eager to return full time in the office and the longer this de facto hybrid system continues the harder it'll be to force us in the office 60 hours a week.

[Anonymous User]

Have the firms that were more aggressive about pushing people back into RTO (DPW comes to mind, but I think there were others) said anything yet about omicron? Or are most people at the "aggressive RTO" firms essentially ignoring RTO orders such that no change to the status quo is necessary?

[Anonymous User]

Have the firms that were more aggressive about pushing people back into RTO (DPW comes to mind, but I think there were others) said anything yet about omicron? Or are most people at the "aggressive RTO" firms essentially ignoring RTO orders such that no change to the status quo is necessary?

At a firm that wanted us back on a regular basis starting in the fall. To my knowledge, hardly anyone goes in as frequently as we're "supposed" to, with quite a few associates not going in at all (or just once or twice per month).

[Lesion of Doom]

Assuming that Omicron makes at least some impact in the U.S. (very likely):

A lot of the January firms have staked a position internally and externally for the past 20 months that they are prioritizing their employees' and the public's health first, would not rush anyone back, etc. So I can't see them walking that back now and fully expect there to be additional delays. Whether we believe that's necessary isn't the subject of this thread, but I fully expect those firms to be consistently responsive.

Long term, I don't think it will make any difference. Six months ago it was "just 1-2 times per week" when we'd eventually RTO, and recently it has crept to "2-3 times a week, but three max". Many firms are likely to go hybrid, but imo it's already priced in.

[Anonymous User]

Have the firms that were more aggressive about pushing people back into RTO (DPW comes to mind, but I think there were others) said anything yet about omicron? Or are most people at the "aggressive RTO" firms essentially ignoring RTO orders such that no change to the status quo is necessary?

S&C had RTO over the summer, mostly I think to facilitate an in-person summer program. We have people who go in every day and people who haven't been in the office in months. I think some events which are currently hybrid will be virtual-only if omicron has a big impact or if cases rise, but even now people generally don't seem to care where you work from.

[GFox345]

Currently at a BL firm in a secondary market in a red state where the official policy has been full-time back in the office since fall, though the policy does not say "thou shalt not WFH." Other offices of the firm are still mostly/entirely WFH. I still WFH mornings and afternoons frequently (at least once a week) and I take a full day WFH probably once every two weeks. I'm relatively new, so I'm not too bold yet (and am trying to make myself more known to co-workers), but partners and more senior associates WFH more frequently, some much more frequently.

No word yet from the firm on Omicron, but my impression is that people are not making RTO into a big deal, and I have yet to see anyone even get into a conflict over it, let alone fired or forced out. I think most people, even at the more aggressive RTO firms, just accept that more flexibility to WFH is a part of life now. Plus, like, I don't really get the impression that anyone is tracking my movements close enough to know if I am WFH too much.

Also, not to belittle the seriousness of omicron, but, just realistically speaking, there is always going to be a new variant of some kind. Firms just keep using the variants as an excuse to keep punting on the WFH issue, and I think that's largely because people like the current arrangement so much. (Who would have ever thought that people like flexibility?) My money is on the status quo just being the new normal indefinitely.

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a V10 firm office in a major city. Return to office (which we were instructed to do about a month ago) has been a total disaster in the sense that people showed up for the first week and then everyone stopped coming in. Staff morale is low because they're being forced to come in while attorneys are continuing to WFH.

I think this dynamic will actually be helpful for what happens w/ Omicron. Law firms hate having to reverse decisions for various reasons. The fact that practically no one is coming in will work well in that regard because firms can just let things stay status quo and let people naturally react to the rise of Omicron (read: no one will come into the office).

Maybe they'll do some half measures for staff e.g., rotations. I doubt they'll ever go back to fully closing the offices.

[Anonymous User]

At DPW we are currently in a "trial period," in which lawyers are encouraged but not explicitly required to come in. (Compliance in my experience has been very low.) The trial period was supposed to conclude in December, with a more formal RTO policy in place by January. Today the trial period was extended through the end of January. Not explicitly attributed to Omicron.

[Anonymous User]

Apparently Covington is requiring boosters to return in January

[Anonymous User]

SRZ was supposed to RTO January 10th but they just announced that due to Omicron they’re delaying RTO until further notice.

[Anonymous User]

Any news? Situation appears to be getting worse in NYC

[Anonymous User]

Any news? Situation appears to be getting worse in NYC

I'm in a NY office of a litigation boutique. We were fully back in-person until Friday 12/17 (had a few positive cases announced). Office closed until 1/3, wouldn't be surprised if that is extended though. Things seem to be bad all over, have been hearing that public schools may close again if the numbers keep going up.

[Anonymous User]

Sidley just announced a return to WFH (a soft return because the office is still open) until January 10th. Previously, we RTO as of November 1.

[Anonymous User]

Cooley delays to April

[Anonymous User]

Willkie delayed until February 7.

[Anonymous User]

Delaying to April makes some sense if the goal is to get beyond the latest outbreak. Delaying until Jan 31 or Feb 7 seems like an odd position to take - why not just say indefinite or we will revisit in the New Year. Seems like a long shot that the COVID outlook will be so much better by February you are going to force folks in the office at that point…

[Anonymous User]

K&E needs to soften the blow from their bonuses by returning to WFH.

[Anonymous User]

Can they just announce WFH indefinitely??? Apparently there's nothing we can do about Omicron. It's probably the most contagious virus ever in history...

[Anonymous User]

Dechert planned on RTO in January, but just announced it is suspended until further notice.

[Anonymous User]

Cleary delays until January 24 (lulz)

[Anonymous User]

MoFo has taken this wonderful opportunity to tell us that they’ve decided Feb 7 is the date we will all be required to spend 1 day in the office per week. And that day to be decided by MoFo! And they also say that down the road, MoFo will decide when it will require a second day for all attorneys in the office! Hate this place.

[Anonymous User]

K&E needs to soften the blow from their bonuses by returning to WFH.

Just WFH whenever you want. I (and many colleagues) are still doing five days a week from home.