This week, the company I work for sent an email stating that going forward we are going to be required to be in the office on site more often than not, and if we don't comply we'll be fired. I know a lot of companies have been doing this, so it's not shocking, but I'm disappointed that a company that prides itself on being innovative is resorting to outdated boomer thinking and catchphrases about how workplace culture is better when we're together.
I understand why they're doing this, but my personal setup for working on site sucks. When I go into work to experience “company culture,” that involves me sitting by myself in a basement and not speaking to another soul for 8 hours. I never see anyone in my group because they sit in a different area (they have their own offices). I get more social interaction when I'm working from home with my cats. Last week someone approached me out of the blue and asked who I was and what I was doing there. When I introduced myself they asked why I was separated from my team (I have no idea why other than I'm the youngest and newest – the rest of my group consists of very complacent boomers who are retiring in the next 3-4 years). When I was first assigned this desk, I asked if there was literally anywhere else for me to sit and was told no. The thought of spending even more of my working hours there is painful. There are other people who sit in the same room as me, but because we go in on different days I don't see them often and I don't work with any of them directly.
There's no point to this post other than for me to whine incessantly because I can't quit right now and maybe find some solidarity, but I wish I could let someone know that being in the office is essentially the opposite of experiencing company culture for some of us. I am highly introverted so I generally prefer to not be around people; I hate small talk and office politics, but driving into work to sit alone feels incredibly stupid and counterproductive.