Distractions of working from home are aplenty. The pandemic anxiety, lockdown panic and work deadlines made things real hard. Amid chores, the thought of permanent WFH always seems like a nightmare. On top of the list one was missing was the socialization at the workplace, the gossip, the needless chatter, the light-hearted banter, besides of course a range of professional interactions. A lot changes have happened since the time making has kind of embraced this wonder called WFH.
Since then, bit by bit, albeit with much reluctance, one has to ease into the new arrangement. Having a good, uncluttered, comfortable and aesthetic work desk at home matters. Most people recommend it. But over time, the familiarity grows on you. Settling down at your work desk slowly begins to feel good and gets one in the work zone more easily. Of course, we do take breaks, catch up, have lunch, dig into snacks or just unwind. Sometimes, together and other times solo. One of the toughest things about WFH is that work-life boundaries blur and one ends up working till late night, often realising that there is little time for other things. For weeks, many of us have gone on working till late night with the day’s paper untouched or the weekly priorities going unnoticed.
Interaction with colleagues and team members have dipped. The routine necessary ones happen. But beyond that it is limited. Friends, family, colleagues, and communities have had their lives changed in critical ways that promise to have much longer-lasting effects. Living through a global pandemic has driven dramatic shifts in our jobs, eating habits, childcare, and even our collective sense of time.
In a year of Zoom burnout, mask profiteering, and virtual yoga, perhaps no COVID-19 phenomenon will have a more lasting impact than WFH, or work from home. The pandemic drove companies worldwide to shut their offices, sometimes at a day’s notice. Despite such wrenching dislocations, most remote employees say that when the pandemic finally ends, they will want the choice of where they work, with many preferring a flexible mix of office and home. That is a profound shift, with which companies will need to grapple for years. Yes, businesses will save millions on utilities and office rent. And there is also saved productivity, lost before to hours spent in needless meetings or on long commutes.
There has been some help. Some companies have relaxed their policies to make it easier for working parents, or now offer extra benefits, such as free backup childcare or reskilling so that employees who normally work in person can stay at home because of childcare obligations.
The world is eager for the pandemic to subside and for life to return to normal. Aren’t we all waiting for this to happen for real?
