The last three weeks, I was forced to come to the office every day. And I was not amused. Even before, but also now afterwards. Things have changed …
The past
Before Covid-19, going to the office was pretty normal. I had one home office day every two weeks and already loved it back then. I could work in a quieter environment and be more focussed. It’s not that I can’t work in a loudly environment. I would say I can do it pretty well and just focus on my doing, where everything else fades out around me. But it also came with the drawback of regular headaches, especially on Friday evenings or Saturdays.
Also, we were quite often longer in the office after work, chatted, drank and had fun. It was a little bit of a family with many colleagues and I enjoyed it.
Lockdown
When the first lockdown stroke in Germany from March 2020 until May 2020, and later the second, it was quite hard. You weren’t allowed to see anyone and must work from home. I thought it was just more of my bi-weekly home office day and in the beginning, it was quite nice. However, as I would experience later, this was especially due to short-time work, since my employer only allowed 50 % work during the first lockdown period. One the one hand, it made me enjoy the upcoming spring very much, since I only worked until around 12 pm, but on the other hand, my big project I had this time also took twice as long – the whole three months.
The new normal
After lockdown my employer also loosened the short-time work and everyone was now working 100 % again, but still from home. In this time, I encountered multiple issues with socializing, or their lack of. I was completely alone and I noticed that I was quickly irritated by trifles. It always was a back and forth if I now like working from home 100 % not, because on the working side, I was very efficient and my headaches became less – only once every two weeks. At least some progress.
The current situation
Over the years, I could adapt to the new situation. Back in October 2020, I’ve got Kiku, my dog. This also made it possible for me to meet new people while walking her, and even to go outside during the second lockdown in Germany.
Also, with time, I noticed when visiting the office once every week – mainly to socialize – I was no longer so irritated by little things. Additionally, I adapted my whole day to the situation. Still got up early to start working at 7 am, walking the dog at 8 am, and working again until 4:30 pm with one hour of lunch break. Traveling time to and from the office: gone – one hour saved. Saving money by not using public transportation – yay. Working in a quiet environment – appreciated.
Also, through a special personal training with adaption to my work to have less stress, I could lower my headaches to only happen on very rare occasions.
Being forced to the office
That is when I was forced into the office. Only temporarily for three weeks, but still at least annoying for me. Additional travel time, more money spent for public transportation (around 3 – 5 € per day) as well as food (since I hate cooking and only do it at home because I have to) and again a louder environment. The latter, I immediately notices, since I already had headaches after the first and second week.
Additionally, the team and the whole company has changed. Gone are the get togethers after work for the most part and it’s less family than it was five years ago. Maybe we’ve grown up, maybe focus of everyone shifted, maybe it’s just a job … I think, many people noticed that one can do so much more after working, especially if you save the travel time. So we only had one team event in the first of the three weeks and that’s it.
I couldn’t say that I didn’t enjoy any part of being in the office. I do sometimes and that’s another reason why I go to the office once every week. But usually, most of my team is not in the office that day, so I found other people to enjoy my time with. So if my team is also there, there is not much of a personal connection.
The aftermath
My employer always publicly announced that the corporate culture is very important. But this culture changed with the home office years. People changed. It seems to me that this fact has not yet reached the leaders. And yet they’re trying to enforce a culture, which is not compatible with home office. One, that requires chitchatting in the office and spontaneous quick meetings and so on. This ultimately leads to stricter rules regarding home office as a result of lack of ideas to adapt its corporate culture.
Even after a survey was done regarding home office, where it clearly states that home office surpasses the office in nearly every work-related area, it was stated that one have to be more often in the office – if you want to or not. From a logic standpoint, it doesn’t make any sense. From an emotional standpoint even less. The one thing where it makes sense, it gives the leaders apparent more control, which is pseudo-control.
What’s the point now?
As of now, I’m not forced to go to the office more than once every two weeks, but that may change. Even if there is no real reason. And especially regarding my physical and mental health, I hope it won’t happen.
Why should I go to the office if I can work better from home? Why should I go to the office if I don’t need nor necessarily want to meet people? Why should I care for a corporate culture that doesn’t take reality into account and adapts accordingly? Even from a logical corporate point of view, it doesn’t make any sense.
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