Mostly I work from home, which is great because I’m not expected to attend meetings, wear clothes, or remain sober.
But when I commute 5,000 miles to the office every few weeks, I do notice a special bond between colleagues that isn’t possible in a remote environment.
Let’s call this bond “camaraderie.”
One component of camaraderie is the “being there” for each another. So if someone needs a file, you push it to them right away. If someone wants X for lunch but they’re too busy to get it, you take a hike to Chipotle.
But what about the other side of camaraderie? The “I hate my life / girlfriend / diet” conversation that happens after you’ve shared files or eaten lunch?
I’m starting to think that the benefits of in-the-flesh workplaces are counter-balanced, if not nullified, by the peripheral waste that in-person atmospheres create. And further I think that if not carefully monitored, any company’s “office” can turn into a glorified breeding ground for procrastination, free lunches, and routine space-outs.
Great work places, then, foster strong ideas and productivity and are immune to behaviors that promote commiserating over collaborating.
Because if you can’t get sh*t done at the office, there’s no point in having one.
I totally agree!! It’s a lot easier for me to just wake up and log-on and do work, rather than get up, get dressed (have to look presentable), fight traffic, park, get to the office, settle down, eat, and then open up email to get the day started. It may also be a generation gap too.