5 ms·

In my last job (10,000ish employees at a UK financial services organisation) we worked at home for the whole of the Covid period... apart from one small team in

In my last job (10,000ish employees at a UK financial services organisation) we worked at home for the whole of the Covid period... apart from one small team in the whole organisation (which soon got dealt with as they were basically just slacking), productivity went up. After Covid, we went into the office one day a month and didn't really achieve anything additional at all, if anything those days were less productive due to the heavy socialising that went on. In my current job, pan-European financial services organisation, I am the only person in my team in London, everyone else is in Brussels. I've never physically met most of them. The one day a week I'm required to spend in the London office is a complete waste of time and money and usually involves me sitting on Teams meetings all day as I very rarely need to interact with anyone else in London. It's my least productive day of the week. I'm also not in a "mostly lone producer" role like developer, I'm a project/programme manager and my job is interacting with people all day. I think it just depends if people are able to refocus their mind into a new way of doing things.

mytailorisrich 2y ago
I think that few days in office, especially as few as one per month, should really be about socialising. Maybe start with a team meeting for a general update then smaller face-to-face discussions on topics best suited for in-person interaction. Then break for a team lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon on whatever people want to. > The one day a week I'm required to spend in the London office is a complete waste of time and money and usually involves me sitting on Teams meetings all day as I very rarely need to interact with anyone else in London Yes, same here. A mandate to be in office one-two days a week with no thought about the aim, and no planning for others to be there at the same time is a total waste of time and money.
- kisamoto 2y ago
  > I think that few days in office, especially as few as one per month, should really be about socialising. Came here to agree with this. Personally (and there is a heavy personal opinion to this as some people also do prefer the office life) I think a majority work from home but with the occasional mandated office day specifically for socialising is a good hybrid. I acknowledge that more extreme (for lack of a better word) introverts would like to avoid the office all together though.
  - darreninthenet 2y ago
    I'm not sure it's an introvert thing... I've no desire or need to go to the office, I have many friends not at work and have no need for the false "socialising" you get in the office environment
    - mytailorisrich 2y ago
      It's not about making 'friends', it's about getting to know the people you work with to create a personal connection and rapport.
      - darreninthenet 2y ago
        But some people demonstrated they could achieve that without physically meeting over Covid... mandating it as a "sheep dipping" approach is old fashioned and thoughtless. For me I don't need it, and I've proven that again working for a Belgium team from London. To tell me I need it to build rapport is ridiculous and a waste of my time and money.

mytailorisrich 2y ago

I think that few days in office, especially as few as one per month, should really be about socialising. Maybe start with a team meeting for a general update then smaller face-to-face discussions on topics best suited for in-person interaction. Then break for a team lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon on whatever people want to. > The one day a week I'm required to spend in the London office is a complete waste of time and money and usually involves me sitting on Teams meetings all day as I very rarely need to interact with anyone else in London Yes, same here. A mandate to be in office one-two days a week with no thought about the aim, and no planning for others to be there at the same time is a total waste of time and money.

kisamoto 2y ago
> I think that few days in office, especially as few as one per month, should really be about socialising. Came here to agree with this. Personally (and there is a heavy personal opinion to this as some people also do prefer the office life) I think a majority work from home but with the occasional mandated office day specifically for socialising is a good hybrid. I acknowledge that more extreme (for lack of a better word) introverts would like to avoid the office all together though.
- darreninthenet 2y ago
  I'm not sure it's an introvert thing... I've no desire or need to go to the office, I have many friends not at work and have no need for the false "socialising" you get in the office environment
  - mytailorisrich 2y ago
    It's not about making 'friends', it's about getting to know the people you work with to create a personal connection and rapport.
    - darreninthenet 2y ago
      But some people demonstrated they could achieve that without physically meeting over Covid... mandating it as a "sheep dipping" approach is old fashioned and thoughtless. For me I don't need it, and I've proven that again working for a Belgium team from London. To tell me I need it to build rapport is ridiculous and a waste of my time and money.