Will long commutes remain a thing of the past, or will we return to the office, thus resuming our pre-pandemic lives?
For many, the pandemic completely changed their way of working in a positive way. Long commutes came to an end, and millions worked effectively from home. Now, our country is beginning to reopen. The question looms will we all be returning to the office?
An interesting aspect to this question is the optimism around the 2021 job market. Albeit cautious, unemployment numbers continue to shrink, and many economist see a strong outlook for jobs. If employees have choices, this could stand in the way of the return to our pre-pandemic lives. Fox news published a recent article suggesting that a staggering number of workers will quit their jobs, rather than return to their pre-pandemic lives of commuting: New survey shows a third of remote workers may quit if called back to the office full-time | Fox Business.
For me personally, I returned to the office everyday last week, and I enjoyed being there. My commute, which was nearly 2 hours each way pre-pandemic, was just under 45 minutes each day. I never minded being in the office; it has always been sitting in traffic for hours that I loathed. Today I am working from home, and I enjoyed that extra hour of sleep and a little time to get things done around the house before starting my work day. I ultimately think a hybrid model suits me the best. I am secretly hoping that many do not return to the office, so that my commute stays under an hour.
From a productivity perspective, I work with people that are insanely productive at home, and I work with others that I feel are way less effective in a remote setting. We all have different working styles, and the sudden shift to remote working highlights differences in working styles. I have been known to rant from time to time about those who cannot seem to effectively engage on a Zoom call. It has been a year, how can one still not find the mute button??
Were you among the millions suddenly thrown into a remote working environment? How do you feel about returning to the office? Would you change jobs in order to continue working remotely? Are there things that coworkers do while working remotely that drive you nuts? Come sound off with me at Respite From Your Job, Resources For a New Career | My Blank Job.
Whether you are in an office, or working remotely, have a great day!