Why don't European cities seem to have suffered nearly as much with WFH culture?

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I 100% relate to that.

I am two separate people inhabiting one body.

"Work me" and "home me".

When I was forced to become a soldier in the WFH army during the pandemic, home me tried to kill work me.

I nearly lost my fucking mind.

Never again.

I do not want to work where I live.

Give me office or give me death!

I've gone from 90% WFH for years to a hybrid model (60% office 40% wfh) which is working out pretty well. The nature of my job - because im a one person department for something like 15 states - i need to network in-person to make connections in a large corporate structure, and WFH isn't conducive to really networking a corporate structure once you are at a certain level - random happy hours and events with the c-suite, etc.

WFH so long really damaged my interpersonal and public speaking skills - something that I've been having to rebuild.

[Steely Dan]

^ I could never do your job.

for me, as a consummate worker-bee, I just need the complete and total separation of my work and home worlds for my mental health.

I can't do home at work.

And I can't do work at home.

One body, but two VERY different people.


I also discovered that the routine and structure of a "command performance" daily commute is extremely healthy for me.

It helps that I have a super easy low-stress train commute. If I had to drive everyday, I probably wouldn't be alive right now.

[mhays]

I can separate things just fine. My laptop closes around 5:00 and/or when I'm done working. That's despite being freelance and the importance of being available for current and potential clients. It worked the same in my corporate job during Covid.

Actually, it's easier in the freelance world, or maybe I should say half-retirement. I don't mind the exceptions if it means more business. Otherwise I spend a lot of time goofing off during workdays if I'm not on a project (watching the cycling grand tours which tend to end around 8:00 or 8:30 am each day), raining truth upon my SSP compatriots...

I can't imagine a commute. Even my real-job days were a reasonable walk. The idea of potentially being late would drive me nuts.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ I could never do your job.

for me, as a consummate worker-bee, I just need the complete and total separation of my work and home worlds for my mental health.

I can't do home at work.

And I can't do work at home.

One body, but two VERY different people.


I also discovered that the routine and structure of a "command performance" daily commute is extremely healthy for me.

It helps that I have a super easy low-stress train commute. If I had to drive everyday, I probably wouldn't be alive right now.

Part of the issue is that I travel for work a lot via plane, and also do local site visits. Believe it or not my corporate office/HQ has a dress code, so its a pain in the butt to switch into dress clothes coming from the field, or just doesn't make sense to go into an office on a Friday when I've spent 40 hours already traveling, etc.

But on the flip side, working from home just does not cut it for much of the week. I do have a full large double monitor/standing desk/etc setup in my finished basement in an area that i dont use for anything else, usually, so i have a degree of seperation. i did almost go crazy working from there 5 days a week...

[niwell]

I enjoy going into the office once or twice a week but find the 3 mandated days we currently have to be onerous and annoying. The office is dated and stuffy with zero amenities (shifted to a smaller space over COVID) and 90% of meetings are on Teams anyways. My setup at home which is a separate office I only use for work and hobbies is much preferable, plus I prefer to go for walks and spend time at local retailers in my neighbourhood over those downtown. I actually got to know coworkers better during full WFH since people were more likely to have small chats over Teams rather than emails. Only plus about going in is the bike ride but when WFH I generally go on a morning ride anyways.

I do have coworkers who prefer going in due to their home setup or individual setup which is great, and I'll happily show up if there's a genuine need (bigger meetings or briefing senior mgmt, etc.. Wish there was a better balance between a mandate and what best suits individual needs though. I'm generally far more productive at home but I know that isn't the case for everyone.

As it stands things are more flexible than the mandate in my area at least so I generally go in for the morning, run any errands I need to and finish the day at home