Regarding my new position. I need to be replaced. That means someone needs to be hired to work as an Administrative Assistant—the position I had for four and a half years.
This is me now! I’m on the phone–a lot. And I’m having a blast!
During this time, rarely was I out of the office. I called out sick when my husband had his very mild heart attack. I also called out ill when I had my two cataract surgeries and a couple of times when I just felt too ill due to a fever, food poisoning or an incredibly bad cold.
Ahhh. The eye surgery that changed my life–and my sight for the better. I took two days off. One for each eye!
I was also out of the office during my vacation and holidays.
Oh St. Tropez—we haven’t been since lockdown–and we’ll be back at the end of next month!
During the infamous lockdown, I volunteered to go into the office every day. Every. Single. Day.
Well…I really volunteered because I didn’t want to work from home!
The reason I volunteered to do so is for multiple reasons. First off, the office would be empty save for three or four people who were nowhere near each other. Secondly, because the company I work for handles documents, most of which are extremely confidential, someone needed to be in the office to handle documents that were to be mailed out and documentation and paperwork that came in.
And during lockdown, I was NEVER closelikethis to anyone! Heck–there weren’t even that many people in the office!
The best part was driving to and from the office with no traffic. To be honest, there are days when I wish we would go back to lockdown—simply due to traffic.
Honestly, I felt like an alien being on the road with nobody else–and it was GREAT!!!!
So, you might know where this is going.
My ex-boss (but she’s still my boss for two hours a day because I volunteered to work from 7:00 AM until 9:00 AM for her) has been having a daunting time finding not one replacement, but an additional replacement for another employee who left.
It’s been beyond daunting. The position has been offered as “in house/office”. And therein lies the issue.
Nobody, and I mean nobody wants to return to the office to work. I find this fascinating—and not in a good way. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that people would rather stay home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There’s actually a fear factor in writing this blog post because I got flamed in a Linked-In debate. People working at home were ridiculously defensive—to the point it made me wonder how many of them were goofing off and concentrating more on housework than work work.
Could this be why folks prefer to work from home?
Trust me, I love my home. It’s my castle. My nesting place. The place that makes me happy. But the main thing is, my private, home life is so sacred to me that I want nothing do to with my job the second I enter through the front door into my hallowed foyer.
And until I arrive home, THIS king of the house loves to rearrange the sofa pillows…
And when my home is decorated for the Holidays, it’s even more of a happy place!
I know my person. If I was working from home, I would procrastinate. There would be a reason to get off my fat ass and take Chippy for a walk—which I never do—that is my husband’s arena.
Okay Chippy. Instead of working, I shall take you walking!
I would be headed to the fridge to mindlessly snack during the working hours. I am already 18 pounds overweight and it is difficult to lose even one pound—if I worked from home, I would be dangerously overweight.
Yup! I would be baking more bread and chowing down on it..
Not to mention taking endless breaks to also bake croissants! And eat them!
I like and enjoy the entire process of waking up, being presented with my morning coffee as I sit in my little makeup room getting face and hair ready for the day.
My little corner of the upstairs guest room where the magic happens…
All made up and ready to go!
The ritual of the day’s ensemble is also an enjoyable one.
Sometimes I’ll wear pants and long hair..
Sometimes I wear a dress and medium hair. But most times I go barelegged!
Sometimes I drive to work myself. Other times The Frenchman drives me in order to be economical.
I love my cubicle. It is my home away from home. Granted the office has but a handful of employees on any given day, but I find my little space enables me to be extremely productive. Even during stressful work days. Work keeps me organized and Lord knows that I’m so disorganized in my personal life. So much so that I’m now using planners to keep me on the straight and narrow.
My cubicle is full of family photos and tons of sticky notes! It’s my personal work space and I love it!
Look. I realize that we all have our personal preferences. My daughter and her husband love working from home. Having a child who’s one and another on the way (Yes. Oona is pregnant again. Owen will be a big brother come September), they are into a routine of driving Owen to daycare and then back home. There commute is to daycare and back—not an office.
Yes. Owen is going to be a big brother! They work fast!
And I get that.
But for an office position that requires one to be in the office five days at first, then a day from home later on, I don’t get it.
Do people not need money? Do people not have mortgages and car payments and utility bills and other expenses?
Seriously. Are most people independently wealthy that they don’t need to work?
Would people really rather have no job than a job that requires driving to an office?
What about nurses and doctors and police officers and firemen and teachers and people in retail and restaurants who have gone back to their establishments?
Think of those who have no choice. They are helping others.
I’m incredibly flummoxed that older people who can’t afford to retire but have had no luck getting hired due to age discrimination. I have to say, one of the saving graces of the company I work for is not an ageist one. And I’m almost shocked about this one. I head people my age voicing their opinions on age discrimination but here we have two positions and very few applicants.
I guess older people might not care to return to an office environment.
It’s weird. And I wonder if people will ever be returning to an office.
I’m beginning to think that people who need people aren’t people who need people anymore. I think the pandemic has made us anti-social.
What are your thoughts? I’m really interested to read them because this is one topic I just cannot wrap my head around. And, as always, we can all be respectful on this subject!
I’m curious to read your comments below! I’m eagerly anticipating…