This article is written by Rell DeShaw, Manager working for the Government of Canada.

  • The problem: Apprehension about returning to work at the office is affecting most of us. That said, there may be some positives, even for the introverts among us who have enjoyed or even thrived while working at home.
  • Why it matters: Many of us will have to adapt to in-person work in some form in the coming year. Notwithstanding our apprehension, there may be some bits that are worth the commute.
  • The solution: Adopt a “yes, and” position to return to in-person work. Though we are reliable and independent workers from home, we can keep the door open to seeing what benefits the in-person experience may hold.

As a dyed-in-the-wool introvert, I may have weathered the pandemic isolation and working at home better than many. For all the concern sent my way, I wasn’t feeling horribly isolated or lonely during those difficult early months of the pandemic.

That said, I hear and appreciate all the solid reasons why folks aren’t keen to return to the office. I am a great fan of Anne Helen Peterson’s writing and she captures many of the key reasons why working from home is a balm for many:

  • Reduced commuting times
  • Less time and money spent fussing about appearance
  • Potential for more work/life balance
  • Private space to manage health-related issues
  • Less exhaustion/anger from receiving micro-aggressions

And I think what is being expressed more obliquely is that the office has become an arbitrary choice of location for getting work done. Home setups are often as good as or better than open concept working and having a more quiet space for concentrating on things, and writing longer pieces, as well as providing the ability to work on tasks that need to be kept private, is a definite upgrade.

I have laughed so much with work colleagues: This almost never happens in the virtual setting.

But even as an introvert, I am looking forward to some office time once in a while if it means the possibility of connecting with my colleagues on a more meaningful level.

I have looked back and distilled many of the experiences that have held meaning for me that were supported by in-person work.

  1. I have made life long friends in work-adjacent situations: Having worked in open concept offices for most of my career, your cubicle neighbour is an important part of your work life. You talk at the margins of the day about work and life, and if you are lucky, evolve lasting friendships.
  2. I have laughed so much with work colleagues: This almost never happens in the virtual setting.
  3. Recognition events and celebrations created many wonderful moments: Though I remember many lovely celebrations of various types, I also remember the joy of sharing the day to day “thanks”. I used to keep “thank you” cards and “kudos” post-its at my desk and was happy to buy many coffees for colleagues as thanks. I have sent a few e-coffee cards since 2020 and yet most have never been redeemed. I recently attended a virtual awards ceremony that turned out to be recorded. I understand why this decision was taken, but so much potential connection was lost.
  4. Chats at the margins of meetings and of the workday used to be rich sources of information including networking leads and information on “secondary” files: I miss the low stakes conversations that used to occur at the margins of meetings or in the coffee line. It was an easy conversation starter to ask “Where are you working now?” that might often lead to discussions of openings or updates on “secondary” files which may move into the spotlight sooner than later.
  5. Reading the room is easier: I have had some opportunities to sit in at meetings with senior executives and the observation time was an incredible learning crucible for me. I remember one time a senior executive told a very senior executive rather calmly that a major agreement would not be signed before the agreement expiry date. The room went silent and every other person in my row started looking at their shoes. What followed was not pretty but it was an important and visceral experience in a “no surprises” approach to briefings.

I am also conscious that some of the ways I am working virtually are not yet working as well as I’d like:

Some bad habits are creeping into my way of working. I am seeing some fraying at the edges in my work habits. I have more willingness to multitask in meetings, and am more apt to do the virtual equivalent of passing notes in a meeting by having a backchannel chat (though sometimes this is necessary).

Virtual onboarding is a skill I have not yet mastered. This gap relates to many of the others. I truly miss buying new employees a coffee or lunch to welcome them and say, “I am glad you have joined us, and here are the good lunch places.” But more crucial is missing the time sitting face-to-face and giving the lay of the land, gauging reactions, and doing walkabouts to meet key players.

And hardest to stomach is this last one–I can’t honestly tell how my colleagues are doing most of the time. We work in a space where the choice to have a camera off or on is left to the individual. The upshot is that as a manager and colleague, I am less effective because my emotional intelligence abilities are plummeting.

That said, none of these issues are insurmountable–each will likely benefit from deliberate strategies to adapt them to a virtual or hybrid world.

This article first appeared on MergeSpeaks.

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