If it hasn’t happened already, it may be happening soon.
A lot of people are going back to the workplace post-COVID.
LinkedIn has done a survey suggesting 57 per cent of Canadian companies plan on having staff return to a physical workspace by early 2022.
With children mostly back in class and more people double vaccinated, employers are beginning to bring workers back to the office.
It has got to feel a lot like that night before the return to school after summer holidays. There is excitement and angst in equal measure.
Some will likely welcome the return to routine — back to things feeling a bit more normal.
Socializing again would be welcome.
Your work support group will be back together.
It will also be a better way to separate home and work life.
I do think it will be a really tough transition.
It's been 18 months or so of not having to shower, dress up or make up.
As the joke goes, “I’m not wearing any pants.” It wasn’t always completely false. Sweat pants were the new uniform. And underwear? It was optional.
We got very comfortable — overly comfortable, maybe.
It felt like great time management to throw in a load of laundry while waiting for a business callback.
It will be very stressful to get back into commute mode. With the price of gas and the fact winter driving is almost upon us is going to add to the stress.
As with everything, there are pros and cons.
Cons:
- The return of the community disgusting fridge in the break room (banana smell, egg smell, burnt popcorn)
- Paying for parking
- Concentrating around a room full of people
- In-person meetings — lots and lots of them
- Lack of flexibility (no more taking the dog for a midday walk or snuggling up with the cat for a nap)
- Setting an alarm
- Annoying small talk
Pros:
- More structure. Technical help on site. Brainstorming made easy.
- Personal space. (More than a section of the kitchen table)
- Pre-determined hours
- Fewer Zoom meetings
- Free food in the meeting room
- Socializing, which is good for mental health
- A return to normal
According to recent surveys, more than two-thirds of workers say they are concerned about going back into an office setting.
Some of that is COVID-related, but some of it is just the fact with more people there will be more germs. Masks aside, cold and flu germs are still circulating. It will be a welcome change if companies invest in good ventilation.
Here’s to a good duct cleaning!
Some companies may try to find a way to offer more flexible hours. Others may opt for a combination of remote and on-site work
If some companies need to redesign the actual workspace I would be all in favour of individual offices again. Give me four good walls. I always hated the open concept where you can hear everything everyone is saying. Those see-thru partitions creeped me out. No privacy at all. (C’mon, sometimes you need to scratch something). It always felt as if we were lab rats being observed.
We have realized we can work in a variety of places in lots of different places and still be productive.
Pivot: that’s is the word of our times!
