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There ’ s a lot to be learned from working in the office , says Quentin Bosman , a Customer Success Lead for workplace platform , Envoy . Some companies have told employers to return to the office following the COVID-19 pandemic , while others have opted for a hybrid working arrangement and of course , there are those who work purely from home . Bosman shares what he ’ s learned about hybrid work since relocating from the US .

Quentin Bosman , a Customer Success Lead for Envoy

S A RECENT transplant from

San Francisco , I ’ ve heard every argument in the debate over whether to return to the office . Those against working from home argue that the home is a distraction and leads to less productivity . Those against working from the office argue that the workplace is a distraction and leads to less productivity .

What may be true for some , isn ’ t necessarily true for most . You can be productive from home or the office . It ’ s about training yourself to work in a certain environment . That said , there is inherent value in the physical workplace . And for new graduates who ’ ve never set foot in an office , a big part of the work experience is missing . There is something about in-person interactions that you can ’ t replicate over Zoom .

I ’ m a millennial in a new country , working for the same company and in a new phase of the pandemic . The on-going WFH debate with its extremes ( fully remote or fully in-office ) has made me rethink the challenges and benefits of finding a middle ground and splitting my work time between home and the office . Here ’ s what I ’ ve learned so far :

We crave connections IRL

I commute to the office three days a week . Collaborating , sharing and problem solving inperson after almost two years of working from home has been a relief . And it ’ s not just me .

People want to connect with their co-workers face to face and collaborate in-person . If given the choice , 43 % of UK workers ages 18 to 24 would choose to be in the office three to four days a week . Thirty seven percent said unplanned run-ins at work and actual face time with colleagues is what makes them excited about going into the office while 35 % just want to get out of the house ! I get it .

One thing I love about London work life is how often teams meet and socialise after hours .