Coder quit one job over stricter office attendance rules

A software developer who resigned after her former employer increased its in-office requirements says she may seek a new project if her current work requires three office days a week, Yle reports. Trade union Pro says more workers are considering quitting as employers tighten remote-work policies.

Aava Riuttamäki, 41, lives in Hausjärvi and works as a coder for consulting firm Wunderdog. She is assigned to a project for a company that recently changed its policy to require staff to work in the office for at least half of their working hours. Yle has not named either company, saying disclosure could make Riuttamäki’s work situation more difficult.

Riuttamäki prefers hybrid work. She currently goes to the office once or twice a week and works remotely the rest of the time. She said she had agreed with Wunderdog’s chief executive that she would look for a different project if she were required to work from the office three days a week.

She previously resigned from a job after her employer required staff to come to the office three days a week. Riuttamäki said the prospect of stricter attendance rules at her current project felt difficult and frightening, and that the change came as an unpleasant surprise to many.

Pro’s head of legal affairs, Patrik Stenholm, said the union was looking into several cases involving workers who were considering resigning because they had to go to the office more often. Some of the cases involve employees at OP Pohjola. The company declined to comment on individual employment matters.

Stenholm said workers had contacted the union to ask whether an employer could unilaterally change a term in an employment contract or an established workplace practice. He urged employers to listen to staff and discuss changes that support employees’ wellbeing before changing their policies.

Some cases involve employers failing to take sufficient account of the needs of disabled employees, Stenholm said. He added that allowing remote work as a reasonable accommodation could promote equality. Remote work can also help people balance work with family life, particularly in households with children.

Under Finland’s Employment Contracts Act, Stenholm said, both employers and employees must follow the terms of their agreement. If a contract specifies where work must be done, that requirement must be followed. He advised employees to discuss unclear situations with their manager and contact their union if disagreement remains.

Stenholm said employers appear likely to increase in-person work in the future, while hybrid work can support cooperation, especially in specialist roles. Tuomas Aarto, chief executive of Palta, an employers’ association for service industries, said public discussion of tighter remote-work policies had been one-sided. He supports hybrid work and said office attendance can strengthen a sense of community and the flow of information.