Will you return to the office?

Valtteri Ylimäki
27 replies
They are currently terminating the restrictions at least here in Finland. What are your thoughts now - do you continue working at home or go back to the office? Is it your own choice or does your employer demand something in one way or another? What do you miss most if returning to the office?

Replies

Aino Valtonen
My role requires independent work, so I could easily do it at home. However, it is good to sometimes meet other people at the office, otherwise I would just feel like a prisoner being at home 24/7. On the other hand, I would have fewer distractions at home compared to the office. I think there are pros and cons to both options, which is why I really like hybrid work. Best of both worlds :)
Erica Y
@aino_v interesting! I’m more prone to getting distracted at home. Maybe I have too many on-going projects there 😂
Cotton
@aino_v @eeri2 From my experience, having a good work station is essential to be productive at home. When I work in my open living-kitchen area, every time I look around I would see unfinished home projects or chores to be done and that really bugs me off. Recently I learned a tip to make a separated working space, it can be something as simple as setting up a desk that you'll only use during working hours, and the view should be not busy, facing a window for example. Setting such simple boundaries have been working well for me :D
Valtteri Ylimäki
Personally, I will choose a hybrid, as in my current role employer doesn't have demands regarding if I'm at the office or not. I already miss my walking meetings when doing remotely, but facilities are better and the work environment more peaceful (especially when you have a small child at home) at the office. And as a social person, I have really missed my colleagues and live meetings despite all the great remote-work apps.
Sini Katariina
I get more done at the office and enjoy seeing colleagues :)
Anu Varila
@sini_katariina I also have fewer distractions in the office than at home :D
Jarmo Ahonen
I can be more productive at office - at home, theres always something to distract and something "better" to do. Full focus, full creativity, full productivity without distractions.
Johannes Karjula
10% office, 90% remote
Mikhail Ivanenko
Its good to go to the office to interact with people. Though commuting takes time and that is the main disadvantage. Also, I managed to work even more home. We at our company would like to make the work in a way when everything may be operated on a distance, so kinda nurturing that in ourselves.
Kim Salmi
Hybrid with a heavy emphasis on the remote. I like to change where I'm working based on where I feel most effective. Sometimes sitting in a random library might be the best, sometimes at the office and sometimes just at home.
Sadly I think I'll be forced to go back to the office for my day job, which I don't mind from a social perspective. Thankfully though my company has said it will allow hybrid working from now on though - don't think I could go in 5 days a week anymore!
Jennifer
I thankfully have the choice and will continue working fully remote this year. Saving time on commute and eating healthier are definitely perks. I was also fortunate to develop good relationships with coworkers via video conference and calls.
Arttu Haho
I think its going to be hybrid but selected fully remote since it anyways will be +90% remote. It is important to have fully equipped work station at home and interesting to see how employers support that going forward.
Erica Y
Interesting topic! I’m always super productive when working from home and my breaks include house chores. It’s a win-win as when the work day is done, the chores are already taken cared of AND the active brakes make me more efficient while working. Then again, commuting to the office and back makes it easier for my brain to switch from work-mode to home-mode and vice versa. So hybrid is my choice and I’m happy we’re allowed to make our own decisions based on our needs rather than being forced to do either ”just because”. ✌🏻
Laura Partanen
I can focus better when I work at home but I also want to see my colleagues, so I most probably will continue with the hybrid in the future, as well :)
Cotton
Luckily I am a full-time remote worker, however I still choose to occasionally fly in to meet the team in person if the situation allows. Productivity wise remote working is perfect for me, but I want to build strong personal connections with people I work with and it's easier to do that face-to-face. Judging from similar responses here, I believe the future of work is not about whether we will continue remote work or go back to the office, but to give workers the flexibility to choose a working environment that ensure both their productivity and well-being :)
Valtteri Ylimäki
Hybrid seems to be the most common answer. The company I work at has actually recruited a few developers lately and noticed that even though the fully remote is the thing right now, they have appreciated our option for having coworking space in their city of choice. And that's great flexibility in my opinion because nowadays you can work anywhere with any company and still take the advantage of most of those good things about remote working and office.
Rucha Joshi
Pretty unlikely that I would ever return fully to the office. I would like to travel as I work now that it might actually be possible. but meeting my team at least once a quarter and spending some time socially with each other would be important to me though.
Riia Jarvenpaa
At least the Finnish universities are in remote-mode for the whole spring, and most of the conferences in summer and early autumn seem to have switched to online. I would have appreciated meeting someone IRL during my studies, but can't really complain about much else. I'll return to 8-5 office after the summer when I finish my studies.
Alex Lizogub
Not even able to come back to the office because I've moved to a different country.
Evan Fishman
Hybrid, I have real bad ADHD
Nick
I think I would want to go Hybrid and 'Need Basis'!
Jenny Winget
@nick_mapup Isn't Hybrid the worst of both the models??
Adriana Hadid
Fully remote!! Technology can connect us (exceptions accounted for).