Why I hate RTO
It’s been exactly four months since we returned to the office (damn DOF and PEZA)…and as you have probably guessed right based on the title of this post, I hate RTO, and here’s why.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not discrediting all the advantages of working from the office (just google benefits of the office environments and plenty of websites will tell you a gazillion reasons why you should go back to the office). I have three reasons why I hate returning to the office.
The first reason is the horrible traffic. The government had two dang years to fix it but did nothing. Now that almost everyone–workers and students–is returning to offices and schools, we still weather the same old freaking issue. The second reason is the endless workplace gossip. People at work “eat rumors” for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. “C’mon, it’s normal!” you’d probably say. But, man, I didn’t miss it. Being in quarantine for two years, I miss the peace and quiet every time I go to the office. When people gossip, you have three options: (1) to fan it by adding more rumors; (2) to keep quiet and let people think that you will be the snitch; or (3) to avoid going with your colleagues, eat by yourself, and let people think that you’re a loner. This leads me to my third reason, social exhaustion. I’m an introvert, so social interactions give me discomfort, make me anxious, and drain me at some point. I hate it when I feel obligated to talk to my colleagues about nonsense stuff instead of working on something that is far more important. I usually grow tired when the supposed small talk drags into hours of talking and fake laughing. And, no, I don’t mean I-need-a-quick-nap kind of tired. I feel physically and mentally exhausted.
I’m down for building rapport with colleagues and expanding your network. Hey, I’m all for that, but I hope companies will be more inclusive and make workplaces less “extroverted.”
I’m fortunate that our employer is considering making the work set-up hybrid. I hope they’ll make two days for RTO and three days for WFH. Or else idk, I might resign and look for a job with a permanent WFH arrangement? How about you? Do you hate (or love) RTO? Why?
