For those of you who used to go to work in an office pre-pandemic, do you know when you are going

[beaglelover]

back to the office yet?

We've been told that senior management is 99% confident that we'll return to the office the day after Labor Day. Most employees will be classified as hybrid employees, meaning they will work in the office 2 or 3 days a week and at home the other days. Some employees will be required to work in the office every day and some will be classified as remote and can work from home every day. It all depends on your job function.

I'm participating in a return to office pilot program, so I'm going back on July 6. I'm really looking forward to going back to the office. I like the routine of getting out of the house most days and having somewhere to go. I miss my work colleagues, but won't see most of them until after Labor Day. Going back to the office will definitely bring a further sense of normalcy to my life which will be great.

How do you feel about going back to the office?

[RainCaster]

1. Never

I will retire if forced back to a daily commute.

[beaglelover]

2. I still have a few more years before I can retire. Hope you are not forced into it and retire

when you wish to.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. July 1st, hybrid here

We're going to a baseline in the office work week of Tuesday thru Thursday, But I'm going to be WFH Wednesday too. So for me it will be WFH 3 days, in the office 2 days.

Looking forward to the blended model, best of both worlds in my mind. A couple days at the office to work with colleagues will be good, still get the advantage with WFH is that there's less fatigue, also going to reduce wear and tear on the car 60% from when I was to the office 5 days a week.

WFH has been amazing for me.

[beaglelover]

6. I also like the hybrid approach. 5 days a week working from home is too much for me though.

2 days a week at home will be perfect. They are allowing us to choose our own days in the office and not mandating everyone to be there on specific days, but I'm sure we'll all be flexible and change our days when an important meeting is happening in the office.

We actually moved office floors during the pandemic so I've never even been to my new office location. My department moved from the 2nd to the 25th floor, so the new views out to Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean should be amazing, not to mention the sun sets in the winter months! I work in Century City, CA.

[gratuitous]

4. My office has been pretty good about everything

They're waiting for the all clear from state government before a total re-open of the office. At this time, people who have their own office can work maskless with the door closed. Door open, they have to mask up. Workers in cubicles (like me) can accommodate only one person in a two-person cube on any given date. My cube-mate is going in each day, so I'm not going in and working remotely, as I have for 15 months. Once we are fully re-opened, I suspect that a hybrid office-remote model will be allowed, and I would opt to go in maybe twice a week if that's available to me.

I think the management has learned a thing or two about employee productivity during the shut-down, and that yes, we will continue to push out the work even if the bosses can't actually see us.

[beaglelover]

7. Your last sentence is certainly true. Pre pandemic working from home was somewhat frowned

upon but allowed in limited circumstances. Now that they've seen that the work still gets done with everyone is at home full time, they've become a lot more flexible about work arrangements. At least that's one positive thing to come out of this pandemic.

[MissB]

5. Never

Remote is an option until I retire.

[Nictuku]

8. Never - I was forced into Retirement

After 21 years with the Federal Judiciary, I was forced into retirement during the pandemic (this last March). I wanted to keep working until I was 62 (where I could get SS), but they made it impossible for me to continue working there. I felt so betrayed!

So now I'm trying to figure out if I have to get another job, or if I can get by draining my savings to pay the bills.

The rest of the office, I've heard through the grapevine, will be going back in September.

[Renew Deal]

9. You should think about how much you want to make.

Because if you are OK in the $20/hour area, COSTCO, Home Depot, etc. might be fine to carry you to retirement.

[Nictuku]

14. Nope - not for me

I have been an IT expert for nearly 40 years now. If anything, I would be able to get some kind of work from home gig answering helpdesk phone calls. I can do that in my sleep. (j/k), But devoting 8 hours a day to that is not so appealing, especially for lower pay ($20/hour is lower pay, I started at 40k 21 years ago, and it took that long to get up to $100. I think that is why I was targeted for early retirement actually, once I topped 100k. They all do it, get rid of the older higher salaries and hire lower salaried people. They did the same thing to 3 other people in my department. They lost over 100 years of experience because we all accepted the early retirement). I just wanted to be able to work until was 62 and could add SS to my modest pension.

So at first, I though "I MUST GET A JOB". I was hurt, and somewhat panicky. It was a 'Early Retirement Buyout', so I did get some $ that gives me a cushion to figure this all out. So I got my resume updated and signed up with Indeed. And while I am seeing jobs, I just haven't been motivated to go after one of them yet, even though I think I'm over qualified for most of them. The higher paid jobs (what I was accustomed to earning) will require me to go to the city. And.I.Just.Can't.Do.It.Anymore!

For now, I think I'll be able to get by. Tighten the belt some. No vacations, etc. No home improvements (I really want to get solar installed on my house, but I don't think I'll be able to do that now). I have a small pension, and I have some $ in the governments version of 401(k). I was overly conservative over the last 20 years with my 401(k), and am kicking myself now, but am currently exploring ways to grow that chunk of money. Last month, I made about $3k from it. If I can keep this up, then I won't have to drain that pot of money too quickly for survival.

By the time it runs out, I think my house should be pretty much paid off, or close to it, and then I think I can take one of those reverse mortgages (I don't have any kids, but I am caring for my mom).

I live in the countryside, get to see deer and nature every day. I don't need to go anywhere, but it would sure be nice to feel that I could go back to Hawaii to visit my old friends, or go to some new place for a vacation. But living on a fixed income, I just don't think I should do that with what I have saved.

So, I think I'm going to be OK. I am thankful for the fact that I do have some money saved with the 401(k). The hardest part was to 'accept' that the universe was giving me exactly what I wanted. I really didn't want to go back to commuting, and I'm getting old (arthritis). It is almost as if they had to drag me kicking and screaming from the work force, but in reality, retirement is suiting me very well. I just get a bit scared about the long picture. I don't know if my $$ will last the rest of my life. I don't know how long I'm going to live, but I figure that whatever $$ I have will probably end up going towards moms caretaking.... uugh, I don't want to think about that. Just keep praying she keeps her health like she has. She will be 80 this year. I know I'm a lot better off than many people out there, and have no room for complaints.

[JT45242]

10. Looking forward to it for my mental health

I work for a very flexible company. I always had the option to work occasionally from home or even from my mother's home when she was sick and eventually died. My bosses have always have always been supportive of WFH when people needed it.

Some people have returned to our building already. I decided to wait until my youngest son was fully vaccinated -- throw in some vacation and the 4th of July and I will be going back mid July to the office. I plan to work on site 4 days a week.

I need to be around some coworkers as I have been working in my basement since last March 10 when we were sent home for a 3 week period to allow Covid to get under control. My commute is 10-15 minutes and not a burden. Everyone in my department will be vaccinated so not worried about being around them.

For me it represents a return to normalcy that I really need. Many of my coworkers either took an early retirement buyout or got laid off. So, going to my desk and working will feel like Covid is over. I think our latest survey said that less than 25% of people plan to go in more than 2 days a week.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

11. There's been rumblings from the ownership/mgt about people getting back to the office

However, a very important minority owner, the man that pretty much runs revenue-producing portion of the business (his genius is a really big part of why the company exists in the first place) has an auto-immune issue requiring meds that lower his immune response. I *know* that he, nor the family that owns most of the company, aren't wanting to risk anything happening to him ... I'd suspect his health is a big part of why we're not already back.

My guess is people will return after 4th of July or so, but I'm guessing we'll have staggered work-weeks at the office.

[SoCalNative]

12. Never want to go bck

except to pack up my things.

My work is also doing a voluntary return July 6th and a fuller, hybrid return come September.

I wish that they would just let those of us who want to stay WFH 100% do so.

[zuul]

13. My coworkers went back in early May.

I don’t have to go back, ever. I have injuries to both my upper and lower back, as well as a lower leg injury, that limit my ability to move around.

I’m so happy not to have to go back. Two of my colleagues refuse to get vaccinated. We have a very small staff so that’s a high percentage.