To have a fear of going back to the office

[fearoftheoffice]

Have most people gone back now? Did you have an initial fear/anxiety about going back to the office and how did you get over it?

We're still taking a very slowly slowly approach and I have this fear of going back. It's been over two years and I'm an awkward person at the best of times.

I was hybrid before the pandemic. But my teams weren’t. We are sticking with that, though it’s one day every other week minimum. We encourage one day a week.

As long as you show your face fairly regularly, it’s fine

Pressed post too soon. The first few days were a bit weird. But the social big becomes a lot easier, quite quickly.

Then this new way becomes normal

Have a look at what is happening to people in the Ukraine
Is this really a big deal?
FGS

I'm going in one day a week at the moment and like others I always think I can't be bothered but then I'm always glad I've gone in! We're not being compelled to go in but frankly there are some that should be. It's nice to see people face to face and meetings are nicer with real life humans! I always treat myself to a nice coffee as well

I remember feeling anxious and that I couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing returning from maternity leave! By end of 2nd day I felt like I'd never been away.

Home is a nice safe space for people but there's a whole downside to staying in our comfort zone in life.

We're back on hybrid model.
Will feel strange at 1st OP but you'll very quickly get used to it again and enjoy the normality of social contact and camaraderie which humans thrive on

I think people saying it's all ok once you do it are missing the point that for sone people it's not . For some people the office is as hard as others found lockdown , People are different

Op should certainly try it , but I wish the world was more tolerant of diversity

You could say that about absolutely anything that anyone have worries or concerns about. Does that make that persons worries and fears any less valid?

Has anyone ever told you that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Surely you will have had regular Teams meetings and seen and spoken to your colleagues on screen, so sering them in RL shouldn't be such a shock?

My anxiety was different because I changed job (going from one which was still fully WFH to one which was three days per week in the office) so the commute was less of a worry than the rest of the settling in. It was fine, and I quite like the 3/2 split.

I am probably more productive on office days because people can pop in to ask quick questions (but I have my own office and can shut the door if I need peace) although there are days where I'm just sitting on video calls I could have done from home - the rest of my team are abroad and even in the UK operation we have several offices (and people on WFH days) so scheduled meetings are video by default.

For me WFH days are the ones where I have a nice lunch out with my OH - we got into the habit of eat out Friday during the pandemic to help local cafes. My office is in a little village with no cafe/shop so although I use petrol on the commute it probably still saves me money to go in as I have to take a packed lunch etc.

Do you have a permanent desk or is it a hot desking situation? If the latter, could you ease yourself in by booking somewhere a little out of the way or towards the edge of the office so people don't bombard you with dicuss chit chat all day long. You can then retreat back to your desk if you're finding things a little too much.

I don't feel "fear" but I find working in an office extremely disruptive and it massively damages my productivity, so I resist it.

I'm very on the fence about this because if left to my own devices I would stay here permanently but I do think there are some benefits from having people together at certain points and I don't think wfh as the default for everyone is appropriate.

That’s not how feelings and emotions work. As I’m pretty sure you must already know.

Do you post that on every thread?

What is happening in Ukraine is totally irrelevant to the OP's issues.

This kind of attitude and remark is so ignorant. This is a real and valid issue for a lot of people. It's an unprecedented situation completely unlike returning from Mat leave etc. The improvement in some peoples lives and mental health due to WFH has been immeasurable and it can be paralysing to think of returning to life before WFH and the stress and lack of family time that many struggled with. Also the cost of commuting is now far higher than previously which will be a huge issue for the working poor.

To be honest the working poor don't tend to be in jobs that can WFH though so we'll always have commuting costs. I'm the working poor, working in a factory.

I totally get this op. I've gone back once a week for a few months now. It takes so much time from my day. Get up earlier, do hair and make up, pack everything in the car, drive in, walk from the car park, set up stuff in the office. I could have done an hours work by then at home. Plus trying to work in the office is difficult. People talking loudly everywhere and wandering around makes it difficult to think.

I worked in the office throughout the pandemic with only the odd WFH day. Others have gradually been back in, but there has been little compulsion. I have just spoken to a few people and asked them to be in to a particular extent if they or others will benefit from it.

A lot of people were nervous when they first came in, but quickly got used to it. Now I find it is more those who prefer to work from home who object if I ask people to be in for a particular reason, though most understand that business need comes first.

Having had to be in all the way through due to the nature of my role it gets a bit frustrating now if someone is awkward about it. I do get initial fear but hate the entitlement about putting personal stuff first when I still fit mine around work. Not that you are doing that OP, but you should be aware that even within offices there are people who have to be in so there can be a culture clash.

We have a huge reluctance from the majority of staff, probably 75% of the team with the remaining in 1-2 times per week.

No one really vocalises their reluctance though. If there is mention of going into the office it is often met with a stony silence.

I feel that unless it is imposed then nothing will change from the current situation and as time goes on the feeling of reluctance / anxiety will only get worse.