SHOULD WE GO BACK TO THE OFFICE? WELL, THAT DEPENDS.....

 My friend sent me the following article the other day:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56192048

Also, a day or so later, a person I follow on Facebook posted that article or something similar about this news story. 

I read this article with great interest and the more I read the more I thought about it from my introverted point of view.

Does Mr. Solomon honestly believe that Goldman Sachs is not a work from home culture (maybe) or is he just lonely and wants people back in the office because that is more his personality? 

I don't have great knowledge of the investment banking industry. In fact I'm not exactly sure what they do on a day to day basis. But what I do hear is the astronomical bonuses etc. (Wouldn't that be nice?)

I'm not here to judge whether they deserve those big salaries or bonuses. Hey if you want to put in the hours and bring in millions of dollars then why shouldn't you receive a percentage of it? 

A few years ago I did some work at a major Japanese construction company. There are five major construction companies in Japan and I was told that they all have their own 'personalities.' One was a "jock" like company. A work hard, play hard type of company. Another one was more 'academic.' While another one was, shall we say "traditional." Whatever that means.

When I see articles like the one above I wonder if investment banks are similar to the construction companies. Are there ones in which the academic type of people go? Are there ones in which the jocks go? Are there ones in which the party people go to? By party people I mean the sociable ones.

Is Goldman Sachs a sociable one? I can imagine it is work hard but is it play hard as well. Is it the company's culture or is it a mirror of the boss? 

I'm sure that there are quite a few companies around the world who are like GS. They can't even comprehend that their people won't want to come back to the office. As the article says, some of the older generation don't like it. I must admit when the pandemic started I was against doing my job online. I couldn't comprehend it. Although now I'm starting to enjoy it and especially because it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere I haven't had to go out in the cold air and I like that. 

In saying that, I do like to go out sometimes because staying at home the whole time can be isolating but there should be a happy balance. Bosses need to understand their workforce not think that because they are extroverted that they think everyone is. 

This, I believe handicaps some companies in that they don't get the best out of their employees. They expect that the person should adapt to them, which is fine but someone who is introverted may not be able to play the extrovert for an extended period of time.  

There is going to be a new normal. It is not an aberration. Our work culture is changing. Whether that is for the best, only time will tell.