Work Disrupted: Don’t Make Me Go Back to the Office!

Danielles Doodle Working from Home Forever
Danielles Doodle Working from Home Forever

How to work from home forever.

I’ve gotten pretty comfortable working from home for the past year.

But, with more people getting the vaccine, it seems like there is an end in sight to COVID-19 taking over our lives. This means many of us might be called back to the office soon. Here are the latest stats on work trends and my cartoon excuses to work from home forever.

A lot of people like working from home

Over half of employees want to be remote at least three days a week even after COVID-19 concerns lessen, according to a PwC survey published earlier this year. And 83% of employers surveyed said shifting to remote work has been successful for their company.

Many employers (even Google) want us back in the office

The return is already happening, even if it’s slow: According to The New York Times, cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, less than 20% of workers are back to the office. This stat is higher for places like Texas where people can commute via car.

Every company is transitioning back to the office differently — some like Twitter, will allow remote work forever. But even Google is starting to open offices and advising people to live a commutable distance from the office. Some companies will require or encourage employees to come back, while others will allow for a flexible work situation. 

A lot of employers want their people working together in person: 68% in PwC’s study think employees need to be in the office at least three days a week.

In my NYC office, which has been open to a limited number of people since the summer, leadership is starting to share plans for what a staggered return will look like.

I want normalcy again, and I like being with my coworkers in person, but I’m kind of scared, too! Don’t worry, I have a doodle below with eight legitimate excuses to avoid returning to the office. Some of you are already probably experiencing them. You’re welcome.

Why I Can’t Go Back to the Office Excuses by Danielle Brody

Going back might be nice…

If you don’t think any of these situations will work for you, and you have to go back, it might be better than you expect. Earlier this year I went to the office to meet with our intern who we’ve been talking to on video chat for the past six months but had never met in person. I was anxious about it (see this doodle about forgetting everything last time I went in), but it was actually really nice to have a somewhat normal day and connect in real life. So, don’t worry, you can go back if you have to. You’ve done this before! Good luck.

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