Is anybody else getting jealous of the ‘new’ way of working?

These four-day working weeks or the nine-day fortnights, the remote meetings with a green screen “I-have-a-library-in-my-house” background on Zoom, the ability for some to be able to pick and choose when they walk through the office doors.

On paper, I get it.

Let’s face it, there’s been countless studies showing increased productivity, better life balance and less wastage of resources.

There’s also a massive time saving for most, as their traffic-laden commute turns into a 30 second transfer from the kitchen to the desk.

But what about those of us who don’t have that ‘luxury’?

Those, who by the nature of their job, means it is business as usual in every sense, every day?

As one of the many essential workers that needed technical and specialised equipment access, I went into the office every day through the Covid pandemic.

In truth, I think I actually preferred it that way as for me, I needed the support of our team within a team to be able to do my job properly.

(And the morning grumble at how badly other people can’t drive was as important as that first jolt of coffee to start my day).

In hindsight, perhaps I was just salving my way through it all because I didn’t have a choice. I also think there is a part of me that presumed I’d actually be pretty ordinary at it, with the temptation of crap reality tv, crap snacks and a comfy couch too much of a distraction.

I could just imagine the physio bills after trying to type whilst lying prone on my couch for seven hours.

There’s nothing quite as deflating as rocking up in the morning and walking past tumbleweeds or being the only person physically at a meeting

To be clear, it was not lost on me how fortunate I was that I had a job during a time when so many people lost theirs, but now we’re out the other side of the pandemic, surely it’s time we all stop taking the piddle.

That’s why my ears pricked up when I read about the Commonwealth Bank executives drawing a line in the sand and telling their nearly 50,000 office-based staff that by mid-July they have to be back in the office at least 50% of the time.

According to their head of HR, they’ve found that by being around people in the office setting they spend more time collaborating and having meaningful connections with peers and leaders and as a result, innovation increased because of that physical contact.

Thank the Lord! Finally, I don’t have to hide that I’m actually pretty useless on ‘The Zoom’!

I know it’s supposed to be the bees’ knees and it’s revolutionised how people meet, but try as I might, I can’t help but switch off at times and Googling ‘extra large abstract art prints’ to try and to find out where Sally in Accounts found the one hanging behind her.

Maybe I’m not the only one?

Further, I can’t help but wonder how much harder it has made things for managers and leaders trying to run a hybrid business with some workers who need to physically turn up every day, but others who don’t.

There’s nothing quite as deflating as rocking up in the morning and walking past tumbleweeds or being the only person physically at a meeting or bonding session.

Whilst there may be some increases in productivity, it must also land a host of cultural challenges at the feet of those in charge.

How do they accommodate those who prefer face-to-face communication and who perform better with it, and those who prefer to get their work done by running their own race?

Which side do they back in?

It’s like those people that somehow manage to nab a cheap flight somewhere.

You run into them at the pool bar, only to hear them loudly proclaim they got to Bali and back for the price of a highlighter.

All of a sudden you feel like an idiot because you re-mortgaged your house for four days of annual leave and in your less charitable moment, you start to wish them nothing but uneven sunscreen application.

I get it, it’s probably on me to change my thinking and become as flexible as our new working world has become. But on the off chance I’m not alone and there are others out there that miss the contact and teamwork, maybe we can all treat ourselves to a get-away break … at the office.

Ali Clarke presents the breakfast show on Mix 102.3. She is a regular columnist for InDaily.