The Covid-19 pandemic has completely altered how Americans attend work every day. A relatively new concept of “remote work”, that doesn’t require workers to physically be in the office, was first introduced as a necessity to keep everyone healthy. In March 2020, there was simply no other option than to completely get rid of in-person work. However, as we look at the nearly Covid-free world we live in more than 2 years later, the cause for remote working has shifted from a necessity to a convenience. Workers no longer have to stress about commuting times, and it allows for a much more flexible work schedule. It can even help workers save money on gas, car maintenance, and a professional wardrobe. However, as we transition back to a world without Covid, is it time to transfer back into the office?

The short answer is yes we should, but there is a lot more to it than you may think. An obvious reason that we should go to work in person is productivity. There are too many potential distractions while working from home, and it can cause a great decrease in productivity. By transferring to the more traditional work setting, there will be fewer distractions, and workers will be able to focus solely on their obligations. Working in an office also allows for collaboration. Working with others via a phone call or zoom meeting is very flawed and does not allow for a good connection to be made between people. Collaborating with a group of people that can physically see and talk to each other freely makes it easier for most people to work together and streamline their communication more efficiently. This also brings up an important feature in the workplace, socialization. A critical factor in a functioning workplace is a good connection between the employees and even the executives. Bringing workers back together will allow them to engage with each other and create these connections throughout the workplace, causing better collaboration and efficiency in team projects. 

Probably the most important reason for in-person work is for the health and well-being of the workers. Sitting at your desk, staring at a computer for hours on end without leaving your house is detrimental to your mental and physical well-being. Having few in-person human interactions can also seriously affect one’s mental health. Encouraging workers to transfer back into the workplace will allow these workers to get out of the house, create relationships with others, and overall lead to a happier lifestyle. It is time that we come back to reality after the Covid-19 pandemic and encourage workers to finally come back to the office.