Hello LOs!
The surge of the Omicron variant has pushed many companies to put off their most recent return-to-office plans. A Dec. 15 study by Gartner found that 27% of executives have opted to delay reopening their offices or have closed reopened workplaces altogether.
It's an understandable response to uncertainty. The average number of daily U.S. COVID-19 cases continue to grow, increasing by a whopping 457% in the last month, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
In the mortgage world, many lenders are opting for a hybrid approach. But there are some notable exceptions.
Some lenders, including United Wholesale Mortgage, have instead made a concerted push to bring the majority of their employees back into the office.
This week, a former UWM employee took to a Detroit affiliate of Fox News to voice concerns that the Pontiac-based lender, by not allowing remote work and not requiring masks, isn't doing enough to protect its employees. The wholesale lender employs at least 5,000 people in downtown Detroit.
The former UWM employee said that he is acting on behalf of his friends and colleagues in urging the lender to put measures back in place to ensure a safe workplace.
UWM's spokesperson said that the company follows state mandates and that there are no remote work plans for the foreseeable future. The spokesperson noted that they have free masks in their office for employees as well as a doctor on staff.
The wholesale lender's CEO, Mat Ishbia, has also been outspoken against his employees working from home.
"Sitting in your pajamas and a collared shirt on, that's not what people want to do long term and if you are one of those people, it's not a great fit for us," Ishbia said in an interview with the television news outlet in March 2021.
Tell me LOs, how is the surge of COVID-19 impacting your work? How is your employer responding?
Send a note to mvolkova@housingwire.com
Maria Volkova
Mortgage Reporter, HousingWire
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