The amount of time people spend socializing in my office about non work is just batshit insane. It seems like an hour or two every day for a good number of folks is just ‘social monkey time.’
I’ve learned to chit chat and play the game because otherwise you have issues but goddamn it’s an unnecessary time sink that must impact productivity.
I will argue that office work provides some advantages over WFH. I do NOT think those advantages outweigh the benefits of WFH, but pretending those advantages don’t exist is simply false.
One example; I’m in the office for whatever reason, and there were a couple of others from different teams there.
Shooting the bull with the tech support manager led me to understand a few things I didn’t know or wildly misunderstood.
Sitting at my desk and one tech starts talking to another about $project. “Hold up guys! This is something my team has been questioning or misunderstanding!” Turns out, they were misunderstanding our take as well.
And of course there’s much to be said about team building and camaraderie. I’ve if got 2 people wanting 2 things of equal priority from me, I’m helping the person I know first. It’s just human nature.
Having said all that, other tech firms would poach 2/3rds of our staff if we mandated a return to office. Also, we’ve saved a pile of money, both for the company and personally.
I would think it would also increase costs on the agency.
This is pure old-person “butts in seats == productivity” mentality.
The amount of time people spend socializing in my office about non work is just batshit insane. It seems like an hour or two every day for a good number of folks is just ‘social monkey time.’
I’ve learned to chit chat and play the game because otherwise you have issues but goddamn it’s an unnecessary time sink that must impact productivity.
If WFH got rid of morale teams and other weird white collar bullshit we’d all be living better.
Anyone who thinks being in an office makes you more productive has never seen Office Space
I will argue that office work provides some advantages over WFH. I do NOT think those advantages outweigh the benefits of WFH, but pretending those advantages don’t exist is simply false.
One example; I’m in the office for whatever reason, and there were a couple of others from different teams there.
Shooting the bull with the tech support manager led me to understand a few things I didn’t know or wildly misunderstood.
Sitting at my desk and one tech starts talking to another about $project. “Hold up guys! This is something my team has been questioning or misunderstanding!” Turns out, they were misunderstanding our take as well.
And of course there’s much to be said about team building and camaraderie. I’ve if got 2 people wanting 2 things of equal priority from me, I’m helping the person I know first. It’s just human nature.
Having said all that, other tech firms would poach 2/3rds of our staff if we mandated a return to office. Also, we’ve saved a pile of money, both for the company and personally.
For me, the only thing I’m really missing is white boarding. I have yet to find an online white boarding tool that can get close to the real deal.