Ventura, California-based Patagonia, the iconic retailer of technical and outdoor recreation clothing, has issued an ultimatum to its call center staff, some of whom work remotely.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Patagonia's customer service staff worked in a call center in Reno, Nevada. During the pandemic, many employees were granted the option of working remotely.
The new policy specifies that customer service employees must live within 60 miles of seven hub cities, none of which are in California if they wish to work remotely. The seven “hub” cities include Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Dallas, Texas; Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Atlanta, Georgia.
Patagonia is ready to lay off up to 90 employees if they are unwilling or unable to reorder their lives and relocate as per the company's directive. Per the company's employee-centric management, relocation assistance will be provided, and those who are left behind will be eligible for severance benefits.
It appears that Patagonia is hoping to reduce its "Customer Experience" staff. A company statement noted, “CX has been running 200-300% overstaffed for much of the year, and we simply can’t continue to operate at this level given the broader business realities. The hub model allows us to create consistent opportunities for in-person connection, an important element of Patagonia’s culture that has been missing from CX since the pandemic.”
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?