Companies have been replacing IT white-collar workers by bringing in younger, cheaper workers from countries like India and China for a long time now, some remotely or on visas. Any work they can outsource, they are already outsourcing. There is nothing to be gained by returning to on-site work that can be done off-site.

It’s silly to suggest that workers’ behavior will ever protect their jobs from trending management decisions. We all know people who were showered with raises and performance rewards who still got laid off when it suited their employers to do so. Showing up at the office isn’t going to prevent anyone from getting fired.