County tech workers object to back-to-office plans

County commissioners told that without flexible arrangements, workers will leave

The following article appeared in the March 8, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

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Mecklenburg County employees object to new rules ordering them back to the office 5 days a week; turnover could lead to ‘elevated exposure to cyberattacks’

Several Mecklenburg County IT employees spoke out Wednesday against the county’s new return-to-office policy, saying it is unfair to those who work untraditional hours and will lead to an exodus of workers.

The current hybrid work policy allows employees to work remotely two days a week. In a letter last week, Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio said that starting July 1, workers will be required to go to the office or workplace five days a week. She said that the county’s organizational health has suffered since Covid, and that having workers in offices full-time will lead to better communication, productivity and customer service. 

But at the county commissioners meeting on Wednesday night, IT employee Thomas MacFarlan — who attended over Zoom because he had Covid, which is “tearing through our department and everybody sharing one space” — said that different jobs and positions require different types of work environments. Some jobs in the IT department are unsuitable for a traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, he said.