With the COVID-19 pandemic easing, federal civil servants working at home have been tod they must return to working in the office, at least a couple of days a week. Some are not enthused at the thought.
I’m not convinced working at home is as productive for many people. Witness the problems the civil service had processing passport applications in 2022. There were more employees, fewer applications than pre-pandemic, and still a massive backlog.
I have mixed feelings about working from home, while I have been doing more or less since 2017. There’s something to be said for being able to go to work and then leave the work there. At home the working hours can easily stretch.
There are also those people who are “working” from home and not accomplishing much because there are too many distractions. Some days that could be me.
So to kick off the work week, some humorous looks at returning to the office.
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random thoughts from lorne 
I do wonder about aspects of coming together in an office that go unacknowledged, many of them that might be considered “unproductive.” I think of passing hallway banter that builds teamwork, going out to lunch as a group and coming back with some creative fresh ideas or angles, even the “good job” quip from a coworker or the glance that suggests you back off from another.
For that matter, how much teamwork exists when working from home?
And here I am, a retiree working from home pondering all this on a very snowy day that makes me grateful I no longer have to commute in every kind of weather.
I’m semi-retired, working mostly from home but I like to go into the office at least a couple of times a week. A change of atmosphere helps productivity, and it is easier for my team to speak with me when I am there rather than phoning.
Sounds ideal.