Missing real life colleagues

[Ittakeslonger]

Is it just me? I've been working in a new job remotely for four months and I am really missing having real-life colleagues. I only get to see colleagues twice a week in meetings on a screen with up to 16 other faces. I remember a time not so long ago when your boss would bore you about his holidays in France, people who disagree who's turn it was to get the milk, ask if you'd seen a TV programme, compliment you on a new skirt and a time when you could see the bottom half of bodies. I miss it so much. So many of my friends came through work. When I moan to people about remote working they talk about the benefits of staying an extra half hour in bed, escaping toxic office environments, not having interuptions, staying in for the repair man, loading the washing machine and wearing pyjamas bottoms. Aren't we supposed to be social animals or am I missing something. Is it really okay that we sit in the house all day with out chitchat ever again? I feel alone in my loneliness. 🙄

what possessed you to get an entirely remote wfh job?

i thrive on being with people so what you describe sound hellish to me. So i would not dream of applying!

Yeah I would miss being around other people. I'm too social to have a WFH job.

God, no, I would love that! What is the job so I can apply!

Social interaction is so important. Virtual interaction just does not count. I’m absolutely sure that some of the increase in mental health problems seen since the pandemic are caused by increased working from home. It does not suit everyone.

I agree, I'm in the office but so many colleagues work from home, they come in reluctantly once a week. I dont get it.
I just like having voices around me. They don't all have to be people I love!

I do agree. Had to change jobs last year and went from full time in the office to only two days, and I am struggling with it.

I'm so bored, by the third day sitting on my couch I'm totally demotivated, relationships with colleagues tend more towards 'polite acquaintance' than 'work friend you can get pissed with'.

I miss the old world a lot.

Totally agree

Love WFH but do miss social contact

I know what you mean . We're mainly wfh now and on the odd occasion when I'm in the office and the others that I know are in, its much better.
We actually have conversations! Talk about holiday plans, random slightly eccentric former colleagues etc etc.
I do get demotivated at home.

Ha ha , I know it sounds madness but I was kinda tricked. Complicated to explain but I had no idea it was going to be like this. Yep I need to stop it. Such a relief to hear that I'm not alone 🙂

Research. Research seems full of people sat at home researching lives going on out there. 🤣

Completely agree. I'm sure we are supposed to have regular contact with others. Such a relief to hear. I thought I was going mad.

Me too!

Yes I so miss all of that!

I WFH. I voluntarily go into the office once a week. So that's the best of both worlds for me. But I a)have a job that requires my being very social with complete strangers a lot of the time and b)have a very low social battery

I also WFH with my husband sitting opposite me all day (different companies different jobs) so listening to his teams calls is the same as the inane babble you get in office background noise.

I've managed to make firm friends with a couple of my colleagues even on that basis, and we've literally just arranged a night out together 😂

And my boss is currently texting my photos of animals.

So I think alot of it is to do

Who you are
Who your colleagues are.

I could never work successfully in an office full time.

I'm the opposite. I LOVE wfh.
I love the flexibility of being able to take 10 or 15mins out of my day to do something that is really useful / helpful to me, whilst still being able to do the same hours.
I love the peace and quiet
I LOVE not sitting in traffic.
I love being able to focus on a task without someone asking me what I watched on TV or if I've booked a holiday.

But I am a very sociable person. I spend time during evenings and weekends with people. That is when I chat, laugh, reminisce, etc.

I too am a bit puzzled why you would apply for a job that is completely wfh if you are one of the people that doesn't like it though.

No I like a mixture of home and in the office.

I like a mixture. I go into the office twice a week and usually have some sort of external meeting at least once a fortnight, but on the office days I don't get much actual work done, they're mostly spent in meetings on Teams. However, many colleagues come in on the same days and we all really look forward to seeing each other, having lunch or going for a walk together, or just having a chance to have a chat about something face to face.

Then on my WFH days I get much more of my own work done, but can also do life admin or some gardening at lunchtime. I did 100% WFH and got quite down - I live alone and just wasn't seeing anyone during the week. I'm an introvert but I do like company for part of the week.

I love that. I’m in the office once a week. If you want to be social, you can join some local community groups.

what does your contract say?
how tricked?
is there an office that you could go in to if you so wished?

Agree with this so much! I even feel those who think they don't like being in an office don't realise they do miss interaction and conversation with other people (unless they're completely miserable types or socially awkward)

I love wfh and not dealing with people.

I get enough inane chit chat at my hair and beauty appts.

Sounds to me like you applied for a job knowing it was fully remote, why would you if you thrive off working in office? I'm looking for a remote job as the pros you stated are way better than getting a compliment on my outfit (I love pjs and sleep😂)

Oh we are so different!

My two best friends are former colleagues; my workplace relationships are really really important to me. In fact, I'm looking at moving on from my current job because I don't see enough of other people!

It definitely depends on who you work with 😀. I spent 6 years in an office with 2 women 10yrs older than me (it was just the 3 of us) and they ignored me the whole time and recontinued their conversations as soon as I left the room.