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The Real “Return To Office” Problem
Sartre may have been bang on, but it’s management that made the rules.
There are just so many problems surrounding getting that dreaded email from the enforcers in HR, passing on the most anxiety inducing request that’s possible in the modern day Grand Game of Software Engineering.
Management¹, being fundamentally non-confrontational, accountability shy, and always hiding from legitimate questioning, have clearly stated that your presence is now required back in the company office.
HR always tags on the following just for fun, too.
“Please do not correspond with this email address.
It's part of an automated system and the mailbox is not monitored.”
Of course, we all know about the commensurate drop in efficiency due to being in a noisy and distraction prone environment, having to wear noise cancelling headphones to even hear yourself think with your inner voice, and having to try to conduct the very same Teams calls that you did from home — except now they take place in a remarkably real simulation of being in the home terraces at a football match with 2 minutes to go and the score being 3–3, in a cup tie.
We also know about the very specific, and all too familiar, distractions, and how they combine to prevent the actual…
