As I complete week 3 (or is it week 4?) of isolation as a result of COVID 19, I am in a position now where the theory of working from home has become the practice. I and my team are able to work remotely and we do so from time to time - some on a regular basis and others when childcare or other obligations require. 

I have never been a huge fan though. 

I like the separation that working in an office allows - you leave work and you've "left work" (almost). I do find that not having an "office" to come home from means I am working longer hours and it is harder to switch the laptop off. 

Working in a team means bouncing ideas off each other, sharing in success and commiserating in disappointments. This is much easier to do in real time....

I also like the social interaction I get from physically meeting people in my office building. Zoom can Zoom off! You cannot have a proper conversation with someone on video - you lose nuance, eye contact is limited, how to interrupt with that great idea you had?? Relationships are built in person. 

Most importantly though, it proves how human beings are social animals. We need to interact physically with people, we need to be able to look them in the eye, we need to be able to engage with them in a manner that requires presence.

Of course, this is my perspective. There are plenty of very valid reasons why people choose to work from home and in normal times you can get a blend of both. 

But I am not sure that the people saying this pandemic will change working patterns for good are really right. Maybe less business class flights and conferences to begin with. But at the end of the day, helped by fading memories, we will want to be with other people. 

Maybe even more so than before. I enjoyed the article below which explores some of these issues.