In 2017 my department at a nationally recognized Bank began offering two alternative work schedules to help reduce turnover in our anti-money laundering department. A hybrid work from home schedule or 4-10 hour days (but not both.) At just over 5 years with the department, I was already been considered a veteran in a high tense, high production, high stress environment that had a 40% turnover and head hunters constantly from international banks that paid better and offered better benefits. Everyone could see the newest management attempt for what it was, an attempt to keep us happy. I of course ate it up.

However, banking is a very conservative industry and I’ve always been a star peg in a square world. Somehow despite being a creative person I do well in my risk field and thrive on making a difference, even if it’s four steps removed. Most of the department of 100 people were introverts and jumped at the opportunity to work at home 3 days a week. I however could not wait to have every single Friday off with four 10-hour shifts. (Which I will be the first to admit did take some time getting used to.)

As an extrovert, work from home had never appealed to me. When I had a question for someone I didn’t send them an instant message, I got up and walked down the aisle and talk to them. When I needed a break I asked a buddy to go get coffee with me. When I wanted to get to know the new manager or colleague, I walked in their office and said hello and introduced myself. Every morning I walked in my building and said hello to every person I saw, and took pride in then the fact that I knew a “fun fact” about everybody in my department. I loved being the new employee welcome wagon and employee celebrations was something you could always count on me to show up for. I thrived on social interactions and working from home was not conducive to that. It was all I ever knew.

It did not come as a surprise for me when many of my peers chose the 3-day work from home option. As a mom of a new baby and a toddler, I loved the idea of being able to spend every Friday at home even if it meant a little extra time during the week. Once I acclimated myself to the new schedule it almost felt like I wasn’t working a whole week even though I was. I had found my ideal work life balance (for my right now, right then).

Additionally, as someone rising in their career I wanted to be seen. As much as I hate to admit it, being in the office allows you to be seen and remembered. Working 4-10 hour days allowed what I consider the best of both worlds. Time present and time away… but alas all good things must come to an end… At the end of 2018 I took a new position within the same organization but had to go back to my normal 5-day work week, and it was extremely difficult. I will say once you get used to a 10 hour work day, 8 hours is nothing.

All Good Things Come To An End

My new position was not only a new schedule but was a new location. I was still with my same company but no longer 10-15 minutes down the road at our corporate operations center. Now, I would be located in downtown Columbus Ohio at our corporate headquarters. A huge change from my current situation. The position brought new challenges, excitement and advancement… And worse, a huge commute and required paid parking. I choose to opt for a free bus pass offered through my employer (available to all downtown employees who don’t work for the state of Ohio.) It added a little extra time daily but was free.

Almost immediately I began to feel overwhelmed and I began asking my boss for work from home accomodations. It started with my monthly Meals on Wheels commitments still located out of our other office. It only made sense for me work from home on those days. Then slowly my coworkers start pestering me to “go ask Dad for this Friday at home” knowing I was shameless and had no issues asking, especially if it benefited the group. My mother always said if you don’t ask the answer is always no. Slowly but surely we actually developed a great work from home rotating schedule thanks to my never-ending harassment. My poor boss.

The Beginning of The End

Then completely out of left field, we all experienced the same thing with the one-in-a 100 years pandemic. My team is already located throughout the Midwest, and thanks to my aforementioned constant pestering and harassment of my manager, we had a great rotating work from home schedule already established and we’re suddenly ahead of the game. But when your peers are in 10 different cities, what other choice did we really have? We were just doing remote work in the office.

On March 13, 2020 we got a message that for the next two weeks we would be “testing” business continuity and everybody would be working from home. That was the last day I went into the office. That was over 1,200 days ago.

Life At Home

Like all people I adjusted. The pandemic forced us all to quickly adjust. My son finished first grade on the computer and my daughter started kindergarten on the computer. Summer vacations turned into staycations and friendships turned into video chats and letters in the mail. Birthdays were missed and celebrated with smaller groups of people. Babies were born, and the smaller things in life were appreciated like growing our own food at home. My daughter learned to ride a two-wheel bicycle and my son discovered his love of The Great outdoors, especially of the night sky.

The days ticked by and slowly my extroverted self learned how to adapt at home. Like most companies I was able to take most of my equipment home with me, which included my laptop, monitors and wireless headset. (Which to this day I still say is a work from home must have!) I made phone calls to stay connected and had wine on the porch before vaccines were available. During conference calls I did the dishes and switched out the laundry. During lunch breaks I prepared dinner, picked up toys and colored pencils the kids left behind that morning. And because I was at home I was eating at home and not spending a ton of money on lunch.

After nearly 3 months of the pandemic we were able to finally secure daycare again while my husband and I both worked full-time work from home. After 366 days my kids finally went back to school in person without buses. In the summer of 2021 they went back to summer camp in limited capacity with hours still somewhat restricted. However, since we were both still working at home we felt very lucky that we were not super impacted and were able to easily make the accommodations needed for our family. With summer camp only 5 mi away, if there is an issue like a forgotten lunch, we could quickly run it down the street and back before the next meeting. Without the busses (and the national shortage that still remains over Two years later) we are able to pick up and drop off our kiddos at school. All possible because we are located at home and because work from home technology has caught up (ie: teams on your phone, cordless headsets, laptops vs desktops)

Hybrid Life

Around the same time in 2021, my husband was notified that he would be returning to the office on a hybrid work schedule while I would remain at home full time remote. To say he was jealous was an understatement. He works for the largest chemical database in the world and they sit on a huge acreage in the heart of Columbus, so we knew it was only a matter of time before he got the call. I was worried what three days a week alone would look like for me.

Did I miss the city? Yes. Did I miss seeing my work friends and going for a snack or coffee? Duh! Do I want to see cities succeed and flourish? Of course! Does this this make sense for my family? No. Is this what’s best for my mental health? Absolutely not. Does commuting into the office mutually benefit me and my company. No.

So why would I do it?

Return To Office?

Luckily, I am still working from home but there are rumblings that they want us back in the office. All new positions are hybrid or in office only. The

So I find myself sitting here and asking myself why. What is the change in the last 3 years that dictates me to go back in the office?