Post Covid, Getting Back Into Office

[tantric superman 4667]

I'm going in two times a week for now.  Initial impressions:

1) Leaving work at work.  I like that.  I got home late yesterday but I was done and didn't think about work.  During COVID, the email was always open.

2) Only issue I have is the commute.  About 25 mins each way/ugly Dallas highways. 

Initial conclusion:  If they make coming in to the office flexible in terms of start and end times, I'm gold.

[DallasHorn26 586]

I started with a new company last June and was fully remote to start. They brought us back into the office in August and allowed remote work 2 days a week. My understanding was pre-covid they allowed remote work once a week, but I'm hoping this 2x a week policy stays around.

[billfromlaketravis 11479]

We’ve been back in the office for 3 weeks. Tuesday-Thursday at the office. 9/80 Fridays off, Fridays on I work from home. All Mondays are WFH. It’s been a good mix. I wish it was two days a week, but we got a the best deal we were going to get. The current set up is allegedly permanent. We had to opt into a WFH program and sign a document. Pretty official. 
 

I wear jeans, polo, and loafers at the office. I burned my slacks and wingtips. They can deal with it. But some guys are are still dressing like they really want to sell you a new Honda. 
 

My commute is about 6 miles each way. 10-15 minutes. 20 max in traffic. I wisely bought a house close to the office because I knew they’d call us back. Some idiots moved out of state and are scrambling to make arrangements despite June 1 being the long standing  return to work date. Updates in writing matter. Rumors and wishcasting don’t.

I started dieting and exercising on February 1 to drop weight before coming back. I’m very glad that I did.  

Edited June 23, 2021 by billfromlaketravis

[South Austin 52504]

I'm back in the office 2-3 times a week, depending on when I have my kids.

I've historically had an early arrival time at the office, around 730.  So the commute into downtown isn't that bad in the morning, especially in the summer with school out.

The commute home is pretty much back to pre-COVID levels.  Even leaving as early as 330 or 4, it's about 30 minutes to get from First and Congress to my house in Brentwood.  It was nice to avoid the time suck of the commute during my work-from-home period. 

I've always really liked the people at my firm, so overall it's good to be back in the office around my work family.  We're currently at 75% capacity with Friday closed except for essential services, which means staff only comes in 3 days a week.  But when we're back to 100%, maybe mid-summer, working remotely will only be allowed in rare circumstances, such as a sick child, stuck at home to meet a repair service or contractor, etc.  We're not going to be allowing staff to work remotely just because.  Partners can do whatever they want, of course.    

[Hanrahan 1306]

I'm back in the office 5 days a week after spending the year plus WFH Mon-Wed-Fri.  This shit sucks ass.

[DaysOff 7951]

Working five consecutive days sounds awful. I don't see how you people do it.

[Captainant 27667]

I'm still mainly WFH, but I'm starting to come in once or twice a week. It's frustrating because whenever I go in, I'm still one of a half dozen people on the entire floor so it's like I might as well have NOT come in at all lol. Upshot is that I'm starting to have some customer meetings face to face which is nice for doing more collaborative and creative work like rearchitecting an old workload or running a workshop/learning event

[MissingInAction 25076]

Upper tier leadership goes back into the office next month. Its a brand new 100 million dollar facility so they are going to use it.

The building I would have reported to is no longer being leased, so I'll continue to WFH for the foreseeable future.

I support software development apps. All of my work is web and server based. There is no reason for me to be in an office unless some dumb cunt admin insists upon it.

[BabaYaga 15298]

Just now, MissingInAction said:

There is no reason for me to be in an office unless some dumb cunt admin insists upon it.

So...we'll see you in the office next month.  Glad to have you back!

[MissingInAction 25076]

1 minute ago, BabaYaga said:

So...we'll see you in the office next month.  Glad to have you back!

Sad but true. Hoping poor hygiene and non stop farting will make them reconsider.

[BabaYaga 15298]

Just now, MissingInAction said:

Sad but true. Hoping poor hygiene and non stop farting will make them reconsider.

There's something to be said for the broccoli and kimchi diet!

[South Austin 52504]

8 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

So...we'll see you in the office next month.  Glad to have you back!

Way to own your dumb cuntage.

[RPM 26321]

We have a few small groups of clients coming in as a soft reopening. They are planning full steam in August. Not much changes for me except dress code, but I don't mind suiting up.

[South Austin 52504]

11 minutes ago, Captainant said:

Upshot is that I'm starting to have some customer meetings face to face which is nice for doing more collaborative and creative work like rearchitecting an old workload or running a workshop/learning event

Yeah, I had a meeting in the office with a developer client, and we were reviewing maps and title instruments on a conference room big screen.  We've been managing with Zoom for the past year, but it was so much more productive meeting in person to work through some pretty thorny development issues. 

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

company listed Jul 6 as date where we no longer had to get permission (HR+legal) to come back in to office.  I went back in for the first time in over a year to help train a new hire last week.  was planning on going back in for a few days this week, but they are moving all our desks/offices to a new part of the building (for some reason) and probably won't be ready for a while.

- They still have the policy that, even if vaccinated, everyone must wear a mask in the office.  I was team mask through all this past year when i was out getting stuff, but I don't want to come back to office being fully vaxed and wear a mask all day.  Hoping they get that changed.  it's a huge multi-national company so policies probably take time to change, but I'll keep WFH until that gets fixed.  

Even then, I plan to wfh 2-3 times per week (Tue-Thurs) but still waiting to see if the policy gets changed to officially allow that.  Currently pre-covid it was 1x per week, which i never really took advantage of since i was new to the company and needed to meet as many people as possible.   My commute sucks ass (30-40m each way), but the kids' school is about 3/4 of the way to the office, so have to travel up there anyway.

 

[MissingInAction 25076]

What i dread are the office politics. I've been thriving from home because I don't have to pretend to like anyone. 

No stupid fucking team building bullshit or listening to some cunt blather about his idiot children.

If I have to go back into an office ill probably murder everyone with a stapler.

[Js1 85336]

We went from:

March 2020 -> May 2021: Every other day rotation until things really escalated
May 2020 -> June 2021: Once a week
June 2021 -> August 2021: Slowly transition to two days a week
Labor Day - 3 days a week in; 2 days at home

We went from 0 WFH to 2 days/week so while not great, it's not terrible.   No masks required for vaccinated employees as of June 1. 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Js1

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

43 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I wear jeans, polo, and loafers at the office. I burned my slacks and wingtips. They can deal with it. But some guys are are still dressing like they really want to sell you a new Honda. 

Counter argument is that there is always someone that will take casual clothes too far and ruin it fore everyone else.  Pajamas aren't any different than jeans! 

I'm WFH 3-4 days per week now. More casual across the board but I still have to dress up somewhat if I go near the head office. As for now, coat and tie appear to be optional there when before it wasn't. Win.

[bernorange 8361]

33 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

Working five consecutive days sounds awful. I don't see how you people do it.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

[billfromlaketravis 11479]

2 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

What i dread are the office politics. I've been thriving from home because I don't have to pretend to like anyone. 

No stupid fucking team building bullshit or listening to some cunt blather about his idiot children.

If I have to go back into an office ill probably murder everyone with a stapler.

Old ladies showering in perfume are the worst.
 

A close second is competitive baseball dads. 

[South Austin 52504]

2 minutes ago, bernorange said:

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

What if - and believe me this is hypothetical - but what if you were offered some kind of a stock option equity sharing program. Would that do anything for you?

[Zepol87 9186]

We had people trickling in our office starting June 1. I go in 2-3 days a week unless someone bitches about something that I have to do at the office. I fucked up by moving to Frisco early this year though. Commute to downtown sucks balls

[billfromlaketravis 11479]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Counter argument is that there is always someone that will take casual clothes too far and ruin it fore everyone else.  Pajamas aren't any different than jeans! 

I'm WFH 3-4 days per week now. More casual across the board but I still have to dress up somewhat if I go near the head office. As for now, coat and tie appear to be optional there when before it wasn't. Win.

We’ve technically always been jeans everyday, but people would only wear them on Fridays. 
 

Everybody seems to know and understand the line. I haven’t seen sweat pants or anything crazy like that. 

[MissingInAction 25076]

3 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

Old ladies showering in perfume are the worst.
 

A close second is competitive baseball dads. 

The worst are the people you know have zero life outside of the office. Always want to hang out after work or whatever.

Fuck you asshole. I've been enduring your stupid ass all damn day.

[BabaYaga 15298]

44 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Way to own your dumb cuntage.

[Red Five 40858]

Still working from home full time, for the foreseeable future. We have the option to come in whenever we want, which will pretty much be never. 

[BabaYaga 15298]

1 minute ago, Red Five said:

Still working from home full time, for the foreseeable future. We have the option to come in whenever we want, which will pretty much be never. 

Same.  Whole team is remote anyway for the most part, so it might be Q4 before I head back to my office

[Native Horn 3504]

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

Working five consecutive days sounds awful. I don't see how you people do it.

Username blah blah blah

[Etexhorn13 3051]

Been back M-F since early may I think. Hate the commute, don’t really mind being in the office all that much since most meetings are still zoom and not having to book a conference room and waste time with all that bullshit. I’d love to at least have the option to do a day or two a week wfh; I didn’t realize how much time I wasted driving to/from work. Even that 1-1.5 hour depending on traffic is soul sucking now. 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Etexhorn13

[Nice Guy Eddie 13512]

3 minutes ago, Etexhorn13 said:

Been back M-F since early may I think. Hate the commute, don’t really mind being in the office all that much since most meetings are still zoom and not having to book a conference room and waste time with all that bullshit. I’d love to at least have the option to do a day or two a week wfh; I didn’t realize how much time I wasted driving to/from work. Even that 1-1.5 hour depending on traffic is soul sucking now. 

In my office, employees pushed back when we were brought back in the office but told to not hold meetings in person. Since we were all vaccinated, we ignored the second half of the request to only hold zoom meetings. What's the point in replicating WFH in the office. No one is forced to join in person.

My 8 mile, 45 minute commute is painful but bearable once per week. And honesty it's about the only time I listen to some podcasts so I make the best of it.

[Deej 76791]

The last remaining holdouts came back last week. It is now clear who the people were who regularly shit on the bathroom floors, as that has started up again after a 15 month hiatus. 

[DaysOff 7951]

The worst are the people you know have zero life outside of the office. Always want to hang out after work or whatever.
Fuck you asshole. I've been enduring your stupid ass all damn day.

That's called a slam click in aviation. You get to the hotel and slam the door and click the lock. There's this bizarre esprit de corps in the airline pilot world that I'm now supposed to take you out for dinner and drinks after 8 hours in the sausage fest pointy end. Fuck you. I'm getting chipotle and watching Netflix in my underwear.

[MissingInAction 25076]

30 minutes ago, Deej said:

The last remaining holdouts came back last week. It is now clear who the people were who regularly shit on the bathroom floors, as that has started up again after a 15 month hiatus. 

People getting schwifty in there.

[BabaYaga 15298]

11 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

That's called a slam click in aviation. You get to the hotel and slam the door and click the lock. There's this bizarre esprit de corps in the airline pilot world that I'm now supposed to take you out for dinner and drinks after 8 hours in the sausage fest pointy end. Fuck you. I'm getting chipotle and watching Netflix in my underwear.

[speed817 19271]

You guys are lucky.  Working for a defense contractor, I've had to come into the office throughout the whole pandemic.  At least we get every Friday off.

[fattyflattie 4639]

I have been splitting time wfh and onsite at project for last 10 months or so.  Looking forward to office opening back up so they’ll be less inclined to expect more onsite time. Last mgt group moved our office from NE Houston (Humble) to NW Houston (Waller) without thinking of where their employees lived, so we only work TWTH in office anyhow.  I report to the #2 guy and he’s a proponent of wfh so not a problem if we continue it. I just want to be back in Texas and out of the house. 

[Rip76 4928]

Never left the office.

[LABEVO 928]

I am working from Croatia. Lulz.

Not going to an office any time soon!

[lmao 178]

A decent amount of ppl are quitting or transferring elsewhere where I'm at due to going back to the office. 

[CooterBrown 18012]

We’ve been working from home since March ‘20. We’ve delayed an official return to the office decision until September. Some folks have to go into the office to do their job and they’ve been masked and significantly spread out since 90% are at home. We’ve just rolled out guidance that going forward that masks will be required in any office unless you opt out by showing HR original proof of complete vaccination. Looks like you’ll get a sticker for your employee badge to show you can be mask free.

I probably won’t ever go back to the office. My boss is out of state and I no longer have local staff under me. All teams I work with are out of state except for 2 people. I’m digging sleeping until 8am, working out at lunch, and bailing early.

[Js1 85336]

12 minutes ago, lmao said:

A decent amount of ppl are quitting or transferring elsewhere where I'm at due to going back to the office. 

I know a lot of people considering it.  Bosses know the job can be done remote (even part of the time) and are 100% insistent on back to the office, 5 days a week, no exceptions.  A lot of people are pissed about it, since "butts in seats" does not equate to work being done. 

[Updawg 2266]

Supposedly going back 2-3 days a week starting in November.

Commute will suck but if I’m doing that I’m not working like I currently do at night. Once I leave the office that’s it for the day.

I guess it will be nice to get out of the house some.

[lmao 178]

26 minutes ago, Js1 said:

I know a lot of people considering it.  Bosses know the job can be done remote (even part of the time) and are 100% insistent on back to the office, 5 days a week, no exceptions.  A lot of people are pissed about it, since "butts in seats" does not equate to work being done. 

It was honestly surprising. These were people who have been there a while & have solid careers so they have options. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[bolverk 29672]

Been back in the office four days a week since early May. Masks are encouraged but not required, so it ends up with everyone unmasked at their desks and putting it back on when roaming around (one dude has a toddler and the admin has two young unvaxxed daughters - one of whom has a disability).

It's an office of only about a 15-17 with a significant portion working from home at least partially in an old 2-story historical house that's been converted into an office. Everyone of us is fully vaccinated, so it doesn't feel like too big of a deal being back other than the pain-in-the-ass of getting in the car and driving downtown. Still, though, the morning commute is light compared to the Before Times and afternoon isn't too bad.

[Neonmoon 38129]

Wearing anything other than jeans if you're not seeing clients/outsider personnel can get fucked. 

As well as the person mircrowaving fish in the break room. 

[hookemATL 11734]

Company plans for a September return, so still 100% wfh for a good while. Allegedly my role will require x3 a week at that time but I’ve told my manager I will make my own decisions on how many days I will be in office. New baby and 6 yo means I need as much flex as possible. Once they can get vaccinated I might soften but I can do everything remote so what’s the point. Told him that any ultimatum type shit where I need to log my days in office will be met with a fuck you I dare you to try it. 

[Hate 20108]

Working five consecutive days sounds awful. I don't see how you people do it.

Username checks out.

I started a new job the day they locked the building at my company. I’ve been WFH since March 2020. I’ve never met any of my team in person, which isn’t a huge deal as most of the people I work with are in other states or countries. There are things I miss about being in the office, but I’d still rather just WFH. I like not having to commute (my commute would have been 20 minutes at most) and I like the flexibility that WFH offers. I’m pretty sure that I won’t ever go into the office as the company is trying to lower their real estate footprint.

[South Austin 52504]

3 minutes ago, hookemATL said:

Company plans for a September return, so still 100% wfh for a good while. Allegedly my role will require x3 a week at that time but I’ve told my manager I will make my own decisions on how many days I will be in office. New baby and 6 yo means I need as much flex as possible. Once they can get vaccinated I might soften but I can do everything remote so what’s the point. Told him that any ultimatum type shit where I need to log my days in office will be met with a fuck you I dare you to try it. 

Way to tell your boss.  Now after you rehearse that in the mirror a few more times, let us know his reaction when you actually say those words to his face.

[hookemATL 11734]

Just now, South Austin said:

Way to tell your boss.  Now after you rehearse that in the mirror a few more times, let us know his reaction when you actually say those words to his face.

He’s cool af and fights for me. Even before covid he never kept track of if we were in office or not. As long as your work gets done, it don’t make a shit. I do enjoy being in office when I can but logistically I need to be able to make my schedule. I do a lot of travel and on-site work (in non-plague times), so ima take advantage of wfh and our FTO policy. 

[Enchubben 5510]

5 hours ago, lmao said:

It was honestly surprising. These were people who have been there a while & have solid careers so they have options. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

We experience the same. To be honest the work my firm does pretty much sucks ass, but the people and culture would generally alleviate those concerns for most historically. We removed the people and social aspect from the career, and a lot of people realized they hated the work on its own and left. 

And many were people that were “high performers.” Leadership has underestimated the impact of covid/remote work on our culture/career growth arc.

All of that to say I think 1-2 days a week in office sounds about right for us, but when I show up and no one else in my work group is there I find myself wondering what’s the point.