[leetcrew]

> I think ideally it should be up to the employee to return when they feel safe.

agree, but not as an explicit company policy. what I mean is, if the company officially says something like "the office is open, but you don't have to come back until you feel safe", this can put pressure on employees to agree that they feel safe. if you're one of the last people to return, maybe you start feeling pressure to give some sort of concrete reason why. I think it would result in a lot of people returning when they don't actually feel safe.

imo there are three reasonable positions: a) office is closed, only essential staff allowed on premises; b) office is open, but physical attendance is strictly optional (without any caveats about "feeling safe"); or c) office is open and you have to come back.

edit to address the article you linked: I do feel for those people who do office support work and suddenly have no customers. but doesn't it suggest that a lot of that work wasn't really necessary in the first place? I just can't see how it can be a net harm for remote workers to cook themselves hot lunches every day (or just spend less for a similar cold cut sandwich).

[balfirevic]

> I just can't see how it can be a net harm for remote workers to cook themselves hot lunches every day

How is it not net harm to have to do a chore that you didn't have to do before?

[maxerickson]

Anyone that didn't have free, onsite lunch had the chore 'provide self with lunch'.

I'm pretty sure that free onsite lunch is rather exceptional. People that don't like to cook can still buy lunch or whatever.

[leetcrew]

when I went to the office, my choices were leftovers/sandwich from home or takeout. I still have the option of takeout, but I choose it much less often now that I have the option to cook something.