[vncecartersknee]

Why do they so badly want us back in the offices? I really don't understand what they stand to lose by SWEs working remotely.

I don't know anyone that actually want to be back in the office full time, some are ok with part-time work.

Most people seem to be (anecdotally at least) reporting that they and their teams are more productive at home and their quality of life is improved because they aren't wasting time commuting.

Businesses could save money by renting smaller offices or doing away with offices completely.

Good engineers are just going to jump ship to wherever they can work fully remotely.

[dimator]

Just as a counter point, I can't wait to be back in the office.

Remote work, while granted is hyper productive, I've never felt so disconnected from my teammates. There are people I used to have contact with daily that I haven't even slacked with in months. A chat/Zoom window is a much higher barrier to conversation than meeting for lunch, coffee, hallway paths crossing, waiting for the bus etc. I'm completely out of touch with what they're working on, aside from little blurbs in stand-ups. We have all become little siloes. I miss whiteboard conversations.

And that's to say nothing about the personal connections that have suffered. As adults, the place where you spend the most time with non-friends is the workplace, so that's the best bet at making new friends (in the same way school is for adolescence).

The funny thing is, when I was in the office, I felt most productive when I was given long stretches of time to just do focused work. But productivity is not the end goal of a career. It's collaboration and team achievement.

I have a feeling that the powers that be that are beating the back to work drum recognize some of these aspects. Obviously they see the productivity metrics, but they see the amount disconnect as well.

[soapboxrocket]

> I've never felt so disconnected from my teammates.

That's a valid point, but having everyone back in the office isn't the only solution to that problem. It may be the best solution, but seems like the easiest rather than the best.

[srswtf123]

It’s about status and control. The pandemic revealed many useless employees in the management layer. They’re trying to make the case they aren’t useless by asserting the need to return to the office where they can “practice their craft”.

[deagle50]

Frankly the best I can come up with is: 1. Because then think they can and it makes them feel good to be surrounded by their minions 2. To curb the other things you can do while working from home which are seen as a threat to 1

[elAhmo]

It should be noted that there are indeed other people who work remotely which are not SWEs.