Longing for Office Life

Dear my pre-COVID-19 self,

We are all undeniably experiencing uncertainty at the highest degree, and that uncertainty is not discriminating. Companies big or small, public or private, start-up or a 100+ year legacy brand, small market or large market, consumer product or service industry, essential or nonessential, American or international— the hope is that we are all going to come out on the other side of the current environment with new perspectives and lessons learned that will fuel our collective future. 

We have proven, for the most part, that corporate businesses can operate with most, if not all of their employees working from home. Albeit with extra temporary employees in tow, whether it be kids, spouses, fur friends, or even extended family present to help (or distract), however you look at it.

Yes, I have saved money on my dry-cleaning bills and makeup that I haven’t put on in weeks. I’ve logged way less miles on my car because I’ve barely driven anywhere but lets not talk about my red wine bill. And thank goodness technology has allowed us to adapt quickly so as to weather this storm in the most efficient way possible (my six year old now knows how to host a Zoom call.) But as great as technology is and as much as it has advanced our society to date, there are still human elements I think most of us miss about going into the office. Now more than ever, we’re realizing how important they are to the success and productivity of our jobs. These human elements translate into personal satisfaction, no matter if you are a support team member, in marketing, sales or in an executive corporate role.

Hopefully we appreciate the following human interactions and their benefits just as much when we all finally get back to the office:

1. Those 5 minutes after a live meeting or conference call adjourns where you quickly debrief with your team, discuss action items, and make sure the team is ready to move forward efficiently.
2. A brief collision in the hallway or break room with a co-worker you haven’t seen or worked with in a while. Just seeing them in person sparks a light bulb in your head and suddenly a meeting will develop a new idea or innovation is born, ultimately driving future value for the company.
3. Ability to walk by someone, read their body language and know they are having a bad day and need a pep talk, empowering you to lift their spirits and boost their productivity that day.
4. The energy you harness that drives you to be your best by seeing your teammates, with the whites of your eyes, complete a project, give a presentation, close a transaction, or share a personal triumph— which ultimately motivates you to be better both personally and professionally.
5. The sense of belonging and connection you feel to the company, the brand and the mission when you are able to look around and realize what you are all working for by simply seeing all your teammates in motion.

There is no doubt a lot has to and will change when the world moves into the new post-pandemic phase of life, a lot of which is unfolding before our eyes. Both economic and health risks will have to be carefully weighed. Footprints might decrease due to downsizing or the result of an expanded remote work policy. Alternatively, footprints might expand because of the need to implement more permanent social distancing measures in the office. Either way, I think most of us can agree that people are craving human, face-to-face interaction which ultimately drives innovation, collaboration, culture and productivity, no matter where you work or what your company’s mission is. I hope that we can all collectively figure out the safest way to allow such drivers to continue to fuel our future.

Efficiency. Value. Productivity. Motivation. Sense of belonging.

Sincerely,

“Longing for Office Life”