The new rules for the office
The smoother the vaccination goes, the closer we get to the old normal. I’m also in the mood for a double shot by now. Only: what to do at work? Are we just going to hug our way through the office garden again or not? Researchers are busy studying our behavior.
For me, it’s quite a Jeckyll & Hyde-ish situation. I love the chit-chat with a cup, doing the rounds in the office and the wine after three on Friday afternoon. But I also enjoy my office opening up wherever it comes from, my own coffee, and writing without interruptions.
Spaces, you know, those nice flexible offices, researched our new office behavior. If it were up to 83 percent of working people, we would forget about kissing and hugging and are secretly quite relieved about it. Let that sink in for a moment: all your colleagues don’t really like kissing either. You knew it, but you also didn’t know it.
The nine-to-five is also going to change. The office tiger thinks it will only come to the workplace to socialize and expects this to happen in sweatpants from now on. The employer only partially agrees with this, by the way, because other research shows that one in five would like to see everyone back full-time behind their desks. Little is known about employers' opinions on jeans and sweatpants, although I know for sure that they can appreciate a bit of sweat fabric from time to time.
It’s not surprising that employees have this expectation, by the way, because 70 percent misses the chit-chat at the coffee machine. It’s also a relief to look someone in the eyes again every now and then. But whatever happens, the old function of the office is in any case so incredibly 2020. Some employees are even considering quitting if they have to show up every day again. Aiaiai, that’s quite a statement.
Another favorable development: everyone will show up for the Friday afternoon drinks. Two out of three respondents are at least up for it. We get that. Who brings the wine and who brings the snacks? Let those drinks come. And that Brabant three-part smack you can just leave at home, best of both.
