Comment by KellyCriterion
6 days ago
Ive lately experienced that asking for 100% office onsite time is rising eye brows with many people: I hate remote work since Covid, I want an office, leave my appartment, meet colleagues.
But it looks like Im by far the minority, if I remember recent discussions?
The covid experience for corporate is that they can save money by downsizing the office, reducing leases and maintenance costs. In my experience this was followed by increased in-office requirements, such that you are then competing for space.
There is always an internal tension between what works and what they can cut. They will tend to err on the side of cutting too much, in order to meet cost reduction goals, and then correct in order to meet production goals. In control theory we recognize this as not optimal.
Most remote workers will also tell you they do not hate on-site. Being at the office, meeting co-workers is great for mental health.
What's not great is schools end in the afternoon, young children can't be left alone at home. What about a sick kid at home? These are real problems that our society has washed it's hands off expecting people to 'figure it out'.
Also spending an hour in commute is no fun, more so if you are a family person.
My issue with RTO is a lot of folks are working for international companies with teams spread all over the world. Sure, I can go back to the office... but I work with literally no one there on a day to day basis. I'll be going to a hot swap desk spot to take meetings on Teams all day anyway. Makes zero sense.
That's not weird.
Most of my Gen-Z colleagues feel the same way. They hated the isolation of the lockdowns and want to be able to go into the office and meet people every day. Some of them are terrified of working alone because of phobias developed during the lockdowns.
Amongst the older crowd, those with families prefer remote schedules but otherwise the preference is for hybrid for the balance between social interaction and freedom.
The vast, vast majority of RTO doesn't include any sort of office. You're lucky to get a permanent desk these days. The new hotness are hot swap desks. Just grab the first available work surface in a completely open office environment so you can take your Teams calls and still not interact with anyone in the office.
Around me everything is at least hybrid, with nobody complaining if you want full time on-site. More and more companies are moving back to on-site full time.
Here on HN we're definitely a minority, but in the real world, saying you want to be in the office isn't that weird.
Yeah, according to the downvote-count, I guess you are right :-D
The point is making sausages. Making an extra building and adding an extra car to rush hour has to be worth it.
Is it because companies have scaled down their office space do you think?