This news about Zoom forcing their employees back into the office for 2 days a week is just bonkers.
For an Australian perspective:
In Melbourne, 50 miles would mean people on Phillip Island and Geelong would need to commute into the city, a 2 hour commute one way. Geelong people could take the V/Line, thankfully. Phillip Islanders are shit out of luck and would have to drive in.
In Sydney, 50 miles would mean people in Wentworth Falls, San Remo and Wollongong would also be forced to commute 2 hours into the office as well. Katoomba residents thank your lucky stars, you’re just outside of the magic number.
Two hour commutes! “Give up 8 hours of your week in traffic in the name of synergy.” What baloney.
I really enjoy the flexibility of working from home. I can put on a load of washinxtg over my lunch break or potter around in the garden when the sun’s out. I can take the dog for a walk or a run to the park. I can take some time out at around 3 and collect my daughter from school without having to commute first back to home and then out again to the school.
Environmentally: I can control the temperature in my office. There’s nobody walking around behind my monitor or talking loudly on their phone nearby. I have control over my desk and I can set it up however I like without some HR person mandating that I’m sharing it with someone due to space reasons.
And for all of these reasons, I’m a happy employee. I get my work done, and more of it, because I can choose the conditions in how that work is done. And if I need to synergise with another employee, why there’s Zoom for that.