Back to the Office: Day 1
Why are you sitting in your cube?
A few weeks ago, I shared a story about the edict that came down from on high directing a Return to the Office. Collaboration, mentoring, and all that good stuff.
It isn’t going as well as I’d hoped.
Let’s do it
Several of us have been meeting at least twice a week at our favorite restaurant. The owners are incredibly gracious and let us use a table tucked away in a back corner. We have lunch, get some quality face time, and coordinate actions across teams.
During last week’s lunch meeting, we discussed the new guidance.
Our shabby group reached a consensus: Getting everyone together at least once a week is a great idea.
Anticipation
Before going to bed on Go Back to the Office Eve, I picked out what I was going to wear the next day like it was the first day of school. My work uniform of the past two years (shorts, flip-flops, and maybe a shirt) wasn’t going to cut it.
I love when the opportunity to observe absurdity in action presents itself.
I kinda knew how it was all going to work out, but nonetheless, the thought of getting into the office and hanging out with my friends and coworkers was cool.
I drifted off to sleep dreaming of a hot, fresh Dunkin’ coffee in the morning.
Wednesday
The big day.
I got myself up, showered, and out the door. Long pants, shoes, and a collared shirt. Wifey took note of my big boy clothes and told me to have a nice day. Yep, the first day of school for sure.
When I pulled up to the building I was surprised by the empty parking lot. It was a little early though, but in the old days, the parking lot was full by now.
I gather my things and march into the building.
The combined smells hit me hard and reminded me of an old funeral home. Stale air, dust, mildew, old mop water, burnt coffee, and microwaved something or another.
Ugh.
I’d forgotten that they consolidated teams in the office and I was moved into a different cube. It took me a while to find my place, I had to walk the hall looking at nameplates. “Damn, it really has been a long time since I’ve been in here.”
They’d moved my desktop standing desk add-on into the cube, but not my chair, and none of my peripheral equipment was moved. No biggie, use my laptop all the time and can connect to the wireless.
Finally settled in, I sat in my little cube checking email and waiting for a meeting to start.
Why are you sitting in your cube?
A tech review was scheduled for 10.
I hung around outside the conference room for a few minutes waiting for everyone to show up.
It was 9:55. I have a bad habit of showing up for meetings a little too early, but this was cutting it close, so I went looking for my coworkers. Maybe I’m in the wrong conference room?
I hit the row of cubes where I knew at least a few of the participants sat and found them sitting in their cubes dialed in and waiting for the meeting to start.
Are you coming to the meeting?
Yes, I’m dialed in now, waiting for it to start.
Why are you sitting in your cube? The conference room is open.
Blank stare, confusion, and flop sweat started to collect on his forehead.
My god.
We’ve turned into rats.
Hang up and come with me.
Push or pull?
We are suffering from a complete lack of leadership. A void that no one seems to want to fill.
Not just the organization that currently employs me, it’s way bigger than that.
‘We’ have a problem.
It’s everywhere from the national level down to our communities. No one is standing up, calling out nonsense, setting a course, and moving out.
It’s basic stuff really. A lesson that is taught in youth sports, music, Management 101, etc.
Get out in front and start moving in the direction you want your team to go.
Back to the specific case of our Wednesday in the office.
The tech review meeting went off without a hitch, as they have for the past two years, with the majority of the attendees dialed in from their desks.
But the intent of being together in the office was not met.
Collaboration and mentorship!
If Project Managers and team leads aren’t physically attending meetings why would anyone else? Why did anyone have to drive in for this? It’s stealing time from people’s lives. It’s a waste of resources.
If you are in a leadership position, be a leader.
Do you know what you want the future of work to look like? If not, start here:
Schedule in-person meetings.
Make sure you clearly state that the expectation is that people show up in person. Don’t provide a phone number or screen sharing info. In fact, meet somewhere where it’s simply not possible. Like a park, a restaurant, or an Airbnb in the mountains.
But what about remote workers? Fly them in.
But…yes, there are always buts. I’m not talking about weekly or even monthly.
Do something in person quarterly, or annually, whatever.
The point is if you want to get people together, get people together.
Otherwise, back off, sit down, and do your little Soduko or wordle or whatever the hell it is you do for a paycheck and leave us the hell alone.
I’ll be working in my office at home if you need me for anything.
