From my experience with WFH people, in general it makes everyone else's life more difficult. I've been griped at because I called and asked for someone to do something "but I'm about to walk my dog can't it wait". I've been griped at because I got someone on the phone, then called back about 10 min later with more information but they were "trying to get their kid to fall asleep and the phone ringing keeps waking her up. Why can't you just send an email." But I did I said. 3 hours ago and nobody has responded. (It was a team email so it went to like 12 people). And that's when I can actually get someone to answer a phone. Look them up in the employee directory and it shows their office phone number. But they don't use those at home. They have personal cell phones that nobody has the number for except each other and their manager. Some had their office phone forwarded to the personal phone. Others just laugh and say oh I never get those calls.
Why is this happening? Because they're working from home. And it's not even like these are people that work in my office. They're in a different building, but at least when they were physically at work they were present and available to do what was needed. But since they're now working from home all semblance of responsibility is gone. Not applicable to everyone as there are some people that are just as great and helpful as when they were at an office computer. But there is a definite overall negative from my interactions.
This isn't because they wfh. It sounds like this is a management problem, as opposed to a location problem.
Also, do you guys have a corporately defined Instant Message app? Like MS Teams, Google Meet, Slack, Discord? Every corp I've been with for the past 10-15 years has one that is widely used and when used correctly drastically reduces the use of email, phone calls and meetings. It's the middle ground between "When you see this..." communications like email (especially if you're sending it to 12 people-teams), and the immediacy of a phone call.
IM for fairly immediate needs:
"Hey, I sent an email a few hours ago. Did you see it?"
"Yes. I didn't realize you needed it now. Can we do a video chat and talk?"
"Sure."
I've literally been in corporate training over the past decade at three different orgs--both private and gov't--that basically tell you:
Don't
just email if you need it now or soon. Especially if you're emailing an entire team, as human nature is, "I'm busy and someone will respond."
Favor IM over the telephone. It's more productive. If they don't answer, a message in their IM app will be seen well before a Vxmail is listened to. They're far more likely to respond sooner with a message than a vxmail. It's also generational. Millennials and Zs are far more accustomed to texting than calling or being called. Just like in the 19th century, people were using telephones instead of telegraph.
And this was for in-office. It eased the transition to hybrid, which eased the transition to WFH.
If someone is in the office and you ask them to do something just as they are going on break, you probably would have some sort of conversation like:
"Hey, I emailed you an hour ago needed x, y and z. Can you do that? It's pretty important."
"Sure. I was just going to lunch. Will EOD be soon enough?"
That's when you guys discuss.
"Ouch. It's actually seriously behind and an emergency.
I apologize for the late notice, but is there any way you can get that to use, and then go to lunch?"
<Insert rest of the conversation here.>
Again, that conversation has happened for me innumerable times in the office. Just like it will happen many more in a WFH environment.
I've managed slackers at home, and at WFH. I've had outstanding people in the office and WFH. Thus, I'm convinced it's a management issue, as opposed to a location issue.
I think the big questions are whether you've been griped at for not evolving with your company's evolving way of interacting? And if not, their managers should start managing. Manage them up, or manage them out.
