I've gone back to "the office" but I've realized that what I've really gone back to is the lab. And the lab is not the office. The lab has a door that closes, big Danger signs, and a flashing red light above the door.
I also have a desk in a cubicle, but there have been some chances since the pandemic. Maybe others have alluded to it as well: Work life is a bit more relaxed. Our supervisor moved to his home town, and now manages us remotely. It's working out just fine. So the thing about being in the office so we can be watched is gone, if it ever was a thing.
Folks have talked about sitting in the cubes and attending Zoom meetings (or Teams, whatever), but I think meetings have calmed down. Perhaps option of attending via Zoom has eliminated the attraction of calling everybody together into one big room. If the meeting gets too obnoxious, attendance will just evaporate, with people joining the meeting from their desk and "multitasking" to be charitable.
If somebody's not around, you don't know if they're on vacation, or sick, or just working from home. The chance of finding someone at their desk has dwindled to where it's pointless to look for them, just for a chance to interrupt them.
I spent a short time at a place where I had both an office desk and a desk in a lab room. I never figured out why I would ever work from the office desk; the lab was superior in every way.
Judging from the people milling about the lab corridors, other people except the most senior ones and/or managers thought the same.
And sure enough, if my current workplace had a lab room to offer, I'd be much more inclined to go there.
I also have a desk in a cubicle, but there have been some chances since the pandemic. Maybe others have alluded to it as well: Work life is a bit more relaxed. Our supervisor moved to his home town, and now manages us remotely. It's working out just fine. So the thing about being in the office so we can be watched is gone, if it ever was a thing.
Folks have talked about sitting in the cubes and attending Zoom meetings (or Teams, whatever), but I think meetings have calmed down. Perhaps option of attending via Zoom has eliminated the attraction of calling everybody together into one big room. If the meeting gets too obnoxious, attendance will just evaporate, with people joining the meeting from their desk and "multitasking" to be charitable.
If somebody's not around, you don't know if they're on vacation, or sick, or just working from home. The chance of finding someone at their desk has dwindled to where it's pointless to look for them, just for a chance to interrupt them.