Working with colleagues, in real.

After 9 days at home with 4 out of 6 members of the household positive for Corona, the moment has come: I have arrived at the office!?

Lest there be any misunderstanding, I was happy and blessed for the ability to work remotely, for seeing my employer's flexibility, and the understanding of colleagues for my availability at fewer routine hours. Yet...?

The excitement was at its peak. Disconnect the two worlds - Home & Work. Concentrate only on one, work-focused, with clear working hours.?

Meeting the team again. Remember how much I appreciate the people I work with.?

Promote professional processes in a minute, without scheduling an appointment online (sometimes only, this requires 3-4 attempts), just like that in an instant- while making coffee: raise an issue, explore options for action, divide work and start moving forward.?

And the "by the way" conversations with the other employees, the possibility to hear how they are doing, how their families are, where they have recently traveled, what they are going through - this is so important. It greatly strengthens the interpersonal connection, floods more points that are common or alternatively, produces some principled debate about a point. This is an opportunity to dwell for a moment on values, to find out what is common, and to hold on to it. The difference and the divide, to move respectfully aside. Trust between team members, trust between managers and employees, and a sense of togetherness.?

When there is such trust, when there is such an attitude of deep acquaintance, shared values, mutual respect, then it is much easier to help each other when the need arises. When I need a team member with help on a specific task, and I turn to him based on the good relationship that exists between us, it is much more pleasant for me to ask, and more pleasant for him/ her to help. It also happens to us outside of work, in life in general.?Think about it :-)

Beyond that, meeting with the staff and employees in the organization, allows us to learn new things. It is enough for me, to hear one conversation, one idea of a colleague to open my head to other directions of thinking, and not be stuck in my personal point of view and thinking pattern. Studies have shown long before the Corona appeared into our reality, that teams working together are far more productive and creative than individuals working individually on their own tasks.?

The day I returned to work from the office made me think how this obvious thing of working with co-workers in the office is a valuable thing that we must not give up on.?

I think of all the organizations that have switched to a working model completely from home and I think it is a shame. Tasks may be performed well, but a whole tier of teamwork and a sense of belonging is missed.?

A model that allows working from home alongside regular days when the staff arrives and meets within the walls of the office is in my eyes the most successful model. Enabling the employee to have healthy flexibility while maintaining the health of the organization.?

When you are looking for a job today, I recommend paying attention to the work model of the organization you are about to enter.?

When you are a new immigrant currently looking for a job, I further recommend that you check whether it is customary to come to work in the office regularly - because it is critical for a sense of belonging, it is critical for learning a new occupational culture, it is critical for optimal integration into Israeli society.?