Working From Home And The Office: The Best Of Both Worlds

I’d like to start this off with an admission: A few months ago, I was not looking forward to returning to the office. I enjoy working from home. I am enjoying my time working from home because I am at home for 3 days out of the week. Waking up to cuddle time with my 4-year-old daughter and lunch time science class with my 7- and 9-year-old sons have become valuable parts of my routine. I can remember telling friends that I wanted to be the last person to return to the office. I enjoyed the freedom that I was granted by working from home but forgot how much value I had gotten from working in the office with my team members.

In March of this year, I was asked to come into the office to create a video series about our new office spaces. After shooting this video, a handful of leaders were in the office, so I went to say hello. I ended up spending the rest of the day in the office, and even with only about five people in a space that used to hold hundreds, I loved every minute. I have been an advocate for returning to the office ever since.

Now that I have been back for several months, I remember the clear advantages of being in the office.

Many of the buildings have gotten massive renovations since the last time we occupied them. At first glance, it’s apparent that the design of the floor started with safety. The desk layout allows everyone to be at least 6 feet from their neighbor, so you’re close enough to have a conversation but far enough away that most people should feel comfortable. Several times every day, I see people on the floor sanitizing places that are frequently touched. Rocket Companies has implemented strict cleaning protocols, making sure common areas, conference rooms, kitchens and bathrooms are thoroughly cleaned each day. Even on weekends! With our hybrid work model, I share a desk with another person, so they are there when I am working from home. We wipe down our desks each day before starting work and right before leaving for the day. And, we have small lockers that make transitioning from the office to home very simple.

Then there is the technology, which looks as if it is something from “The Jetsons.” Every desk is outfitted with a 1080p webcam that makes communicating with team members at home simple. The monitors are also huge, which is a significant upgrade over what I’m using at home. Meeting rooms also got a substantial upgrade as they are all video call-ready, with huge TVs with Microsoft Teams built-in. So, if you have a meeting where half the participants are in the office and the other half are at home, the meeting can be seamless.

For the last 16 months, I have been working 100% from home, and through Microsoft Teams and Zoom, we made the best of an impossible situation. Until I came into the office, I forgot what a difference seeing someone in person makes. The ability to walk up to someone and collaborate cannot be matched in a work-from-home setting. I have found that being near my team members has made me better and more efficient. I firmly believe that working from home is valuable; however, there is also immense value in being in person. I became a leader about 8 months ago, so being able to have my team in the office, our team morale grew, which may not have been possible if I could not sit with them face to face.

I love working from home; I love being in the office. Luckily, with our work-safe model, I get to take advantage of both, and I believe this model will allow us to work better, faster and smarter. Our organization has always been better when we are together; however, being at home has allowed us to find other efficiencies. Now we can get the best of both worlds with the hybrid model.

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