Yesterday I just saw an interesting documentary about the new work. (https://www.zdf.de/gesellschaft/plan-b/plan-b-da-geht-was-deutschland-102.html – I know it is in German). The whole pandemic brought a total mind shift regarding the way we work. Although I have to admit this applies only for office worker. For everybody else there seems to be no change in sight. In my team we had recently a discussion how we want to work in the future and nobody wanted to go back to this:
At least not permanently. Maybe a day or two per week, but not more. So while we are not as extreme as the example shown in the documentary, also we in the „old“ economy currently undergo a complete paradigm shift.
Which I think is good and necessary, because we will not attraced new talents, if we don’t offer that kind of freedom. People simply don’t want to work 9 to 5 anymore, if it can be avoided.
But that change is deeper than simply the place, it also changes the way we work together as a team. You cannot count on having your coworkers available in the office at any given day. That means when you schedule a meeting where attendance would be helpful you have to plan that sufficiently ahead, so everybody can adjust their schedules the work ones, but also the private ones.
I think that is a good thing, it takes volatility out of our work life, it helps you to balance your work activities with your private activities.
So for the forseeable future our offices will look more like this:
Now there is also a downside to it. Most people complain that now their work life interferes more with their private life. Work hours get extended into the evening. There is this quick last email, there is this final touch to a presentation that couldn’t be finished on time. All these little things now creep between dinner and family time or are still there when the kids are in bed. I personally think that this is nothing new. We had this since the introduction of the first Blackberry. This was marketed as tool to allow you to receive your emails, when you are watching the game of your kid and not have to wait in the office for it.
For me personally what is rather the problem my private life is invading my work life. I am a 9 to 5 office worker. But now when my kids come home from school around 3, I am expected to be available for anything. I am the IT-admin (“Dad why does my Spotify account not work?”), the personal chef (“Dad what do we have to eat?”) to overall life coach (“Dad I am bored, can I play video games?”). All the while I try to finish my work day, so I can avoid the famous last email, last presentation etc. Also do you remember the issues with online shopping? The deliveries always came when nobody was home and you had to get them from your neighbours – when you were lucky. Now not an issue anymore thanks to Daddy. Daddy is always home so everybody can deliver everything at any time.
And also interesting prior to Corona I came home between 5:30 and 6 pm. Now everybody expects me to be finished at 4:30 at the latest.
Don’t get me wrong I like working from home. I am quicker and more focused during the time I work and I can use the time in between for personal matters either chores at home or some of my own projects. This all together plus the time saved because I don’t have to commute and the fact I don’t have to dress up every day offsets the small issues I have regarding clashes between my private life and my work life.
What do you think – leave a comment
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