First of all, I think there’s absolutely no reason to be worried, you‘re a developer at manager level, I think you have nothing to fear about on the job market. There are literally thousands of companies around the globe who want just you in their team no matter where you work from. There are so many jobs you can do 100% remote, so you’ll find just what you want in no time. If a company isn‘t developed enough in the year 2023 to let people work from home while their whole team is spread around the world then f them.

I not only believe that it‘s just an excuse from you, I am convinced that your productivity will go down if you had to go back to the office. Your reasons totally make sense, if they seriously question your arguments I think it’s ok to question yourself if those are people you share the same values with and want to keep on working with.

It‘s also important to show companies that their employees is all they have and they are the ones who should provide them a comfortable and enjoyable environment to work in, otherwise people will leave sooner or later.

Covid should have shown us that (mental) health and time for yourself and your loved ones is top priority in life so your move was the only logical decision. Additionally you proved you‘re a woman or a man of integrity and honestly you have my full respect.

Enjoy the time with your family and in the worst case you will find an employer soon that takes you with a hand kiss and you‘ll be happy then.

Keep us up to date please and enjoy your day! 🌞

I understand the anxiety but based on your experience you won't have any trouble finding a fully remote job, probably that pays more.

I've been mostly to fully remote since 2009 and the time I've had with my kids is worth more than anything I could have found in an office. Best of luck in your search!

I'm glad you were able to recognize the quality of life imprisonment that work from home brought you and the impact it has on you and your family. With more and more ppl back in the office, WFH has shifted from a safety necessity to another 'perk' that companies can offer, like 401k matching or a 4/10 work schedule.

You are doing the right thing by standing your ground, you are indicating to them that they are in danger of losing talent if they do not continue to offer this competitive advantage to their employees, which should be a no-brainer with the work environment you described.

This should not preclude you from raises imo, and you are smart to be preparing your resume and looking for better opportunities. It is always smart to keep your options open. Good luck!

Good for you mate

You’ve made your case and stood your ground, and until it’s an official policy and nothing more than “guidance” you’ll probably be ok, honestly.

A few months back I was offered a promotion and a fancy new job title, with the caveat that I would need to move to another country. I countered with more or less the same argument as you, “I’ve been doing this from home for years and everyone I work with is remote anyways; I’m not moving” and was met with a “hmm…fair enough”.

Pretty much the only reason I'm staying in the job I have now is that they let me work from home 15 hours a week. If I found a job that let me work at home more than that, I'd take it.

I am looking for work and when I give salary requirements its for wfh. I will do in office but its a 20% premium or 4% per day required in the office. In addition I work from home from start time to end time except when I take lunch. I work from the office from when I get there to end time and for lunch which is something delays me oh well I have to deal with whats around and when talking with folks in the office or whatever.

Power to you! Definitely agree with standing your ground and keeping your options open. If they value you, they’ll make exceptions. If not, you probably don’t want to work there anymore.

I guess it depends how much you like your job/employer. It’s clear that the added time with your family is a really high value, which I can strongly relate to.

If you really want to keep the job, maybe when it really comes down to it, you could compromise and do one day /week.

Everyone's comments here made me realize just how bad it is still with employers trying to get warm bodies in the office. My company used to be "Everyone who works from home wastes time and is less productive" They quickly realized when their hands were forced and the pandemic hit, there were much less sick days, and productivity has never been higher!