Post covid, returning to work or staying at home?

[cougie uk]

My colleagues don’t struggle to be productive, including the new grads, indeed many probably get more done as not spending several hours a day commuting. However, as above, lots, especially the younger ones in house shares or who are back home with parents are keen to get back out into the world and workplace, at least part time. Indeed, the office didn't close completely for very long, if at all.

We will be moving (back) to blended working from September, many people were already wfh at least one day a week.
It‘ll be interesting to see whether we go back to having many face to face client meetings and presentations again, especially overseas. I’m sure we will start doing face to face interviews and focus groups again, but I would think much less now clients have been exposed to much more online data collection...not least it’s rather cheaper for them, not having to pay everyones overseas travel!

The CEO was recounting a tale of a trip to UAE for a two hour meeting (internal leadership I think). He said he won’t ever do that again! those of us who have been in the job a while have all been overseas for a two hour meeting many times!

Colleague of mine had to fly to Miami for a negotiation. Meeting was in the airport. Flew there and straight back. Didn't even leave the airport...

I'm glad to have left my job now. Working for a global company you get people wanting to have meetings in all time zones and some countries have different weekends too. Very demanding.

 

[NorthernSky]

We are closing about 25 offices across Europe over the next few months including my own. Everyone will work from home with some contributions to cost. The theory is that people have been happy during the pandemic and productivity has gone up slightly. My argument is that during a pandemic nobody is going to complain or slack when the company is trying to cut significant costs, longer term the impacts may be worse as teams start to silo. About a third of people love the idea, a third hate it and a third don’t care too much, almost all employees said they want the flexibility of WFH and having an office.. The few offices that we will keep will be used as hubs for meetings and workshops with some people permanently based there, but hot desking. The UK cost contribution will be £90 pre tax per month.

our company is closing about 4 offices and opening hubs. flexibility is the way to go with options to WFH and heading to the office other days

 

[iancity]

Civil servant here, we have taken to home working really well, can do the job better at home (less disruption) and its most definitely to the customers benefit (they only have to answer the phone, and not attend for appointments instead). So, what do we do...insist all appointments return to face to face and all staff return to the office asap!
Really annoyed, we just don't seem to have learned any lessons from the last 12 months and are going backwards