Remote work made life easier. It also made us rusty. - The Boston Globe

"With the possible exception of outdoor restaurant dining, the most popular cultural shift of the COVID-19 era has got to be the ability to work from home. What can beat putting in a load of laundry, or walking the dog, or fixing the kids an after-school snack during the 3 p.m. lull? Now, six years after the onset of the pandemic, and with a newly tight job market, the at-home hoedown may be coming to an end. Fidelity is the latest corporation to order most of its thousands of employees back to the office at least four days a week."

"Supporters of a return to office - mostly business interests, of course - cite improved productivity or the health of downtown districts that depend on foot traffic as justification for return-to-work orders. But another argument for dragging ourselves back to the office gets far less attention: the need to reboot the workplace social skills that have atrophied after years of hunkering at home."

"The office is a petri dish of human interaction. Without the protective bubble of online technology, our flaws and assets alike are fully present. There's no lurking with the Zoom camera off or filters to appear more put together. You may have to sit next to someone you don't like. It's the messy, frustrating, honest, thrilling real world."

"Every one of my best friends is someone I first met through work. It's no surprise, really: Daily proximity, shared passions, and immersion in a distinctive culture are a sure way to foster intimacy - if it doesn't breed contempt. Years of working in newsrooms and office environments taught me how to live with people who have different communication styles or work ethics, or who ostentatiously show off vacation tans, or steal ideas, or don't make eye contact."

Work from home became a major cultural shift during the COVID-19 era, enabling daily tasks to fit into the workday. After six years and a tighter job market, many employers are requiring employees to return to offices at least four days a week. Supporters cite productivity gains and the economic health of downtown areas that rely on foot traffic. Another less emphasized reason is the need to rebuild social skills that atrophied during years of staying home. In-person workplaces create direct human interaction without online protections like camera-off participation or filters. Shared proximity and immersion in workplace culture can foster friendships and intimacy, while also requiring people to navigate differences in communication styles, work ethics, and behavior.

Read at BostonGlobe.com