Yet Another RTO Hot Take

Alright, let's talk about this whole "Return to Office" (RTO) versus "Work From Home" (WFH) debate. You know, the big question every company is wrestling with as we kinda-sorta-maybe get back to normal. Or whatever the hell normal is these days. New normal?

Some folks can't wait to get back to the office, claiming it's the hub of creativity, teamwork, and those killer coffee machine chats. But let's be real here, like REALLY real - do we actually miss Bob from accounting interrupting our flow to talk about his 4am high-intensity morning jog routine... AGAIN? We get it Bob, you work out and you're a morning person, congrats, the certificate is in the mail.

The real truth is, all the chit-chats and water cooler moments can turn into time-sucking black holes, messing up our productivity. On the flip side, WFH gives us control over our workspaces and schedules. Sure, you might have to deal with kids, pets, or that noisy neighbor, but you're calling the shots on when and how you get stuff done.

And guess what? That control can make us more productive. Some dingdongs at Stanford (who are way smarter than me) figured out that folks that WFH were 13% more productive. They also reported being happier with their jobs. Let's not even start on the commuting time you save and that oh-so-sweet work-life harmony.

Now, why are companies so eager to get us back into the office? Here's where the hot-take comes in - they're sitting on a boatload of real estate that's now underutilized. That's a lot of cash spent on fancy buildings now standing empty. It's no wonder they want to fill those spaces, trying to convince us it's all about "preserving the company culture." And to be fair, it might be a little bit about preserving the culture, but the way they're selling RTO to us is hardly honest.

But let's stop and ask: Is all this "business as usual" really the way to go in this post-pandemic chaos? Just because there's a ton of money tied up in bricks and mortar, should we dismiss the benefits of WFH?

As we try to figure out what the future of work looks like, let's not get swayed by the sunk cost in all those empty office buildings. Maybe it's time we started thinking outside the cubicle. After all, the way we work has changed for good, whether these folks like it or not.

So as the RTO vs. WFH saga continues, let's remember to keep it real. We're living in a new world, folks, and it's high time we embraced it. The future of work isn't just about where we get stuff done, but about how we can do it better. And if that means working in our pajamas, then so be it.