What I Look Forward to About Getting Back to the Office

About The Author

Dharm Singh, CEO

Dhram Singh – CEO and Co-founder of Agile Soft Systems, a professional IT Services company based in Silicon Valley with offshore development centers in India.

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It took some effort, but we’ve all got used to the new normal of the past two years – wearing masks and working from home. As the masks come off and we start getting back to the office, there is a little bit of awkwardness. It will again take some time to get used to working from an office, but there are lots of things to look forward to.

More Than Just an Office

In my work life spanning two plus decades, what I cherish most are the friendships and relationships that I have built across workplaces. In office cubicles and over lunches and office parties, we have developed a bond where we cannot just discuss work-related issues, but also have engaging conversations about our common interests. And we do have a lot in common. I am likely to have more in common with someone in the office than anywhere else.

Offices provide not just a space to work, but also a place to mentor and be mentored. You get a lot more exposure to different people and skills than you would at home. You have an opportunity to become better at what you do and more exposure to develop new skills and interests. Especially in places that have IT ecosystems, you meet and learn from some of the best and you become part of the ecosystem. Over time, you build a network that can help you get better job prospects and connections to build a startup.

More Innovation

Nothing can really replace the brainstorming sessions in an office. You miss out on the body language in a video call – someone might be on a verge of an idea, but unable to speak out. You can read all such signals in an offline brainstorming session and can bring out the best in your colleagues or employees to foster a culture of innovation. It’s also so much easier to go up to a person in the office and collaborate. And even the top management becomes more approachable. You can bump into them in the cafeteria or walk up to them and discuss your ideas and suggestions. There is no end to the possibilities and opportunities in an office setup.

Better Infrastructure

I like maintaining a clear distinction between my workspace and my home. When our office was closed during the pandemic, and the opportunity arose, I joined a shared workspace just to ensure an uninterrupted office atmosphere. I could get more done and could go back home to an uninterrupted home life. The only thing that most of us probably dread about going to the office is the commute part. To balance things out, we can opt for a hybrid mode where we can ensure the best of both worlds. As we collectively transition into this new phase of our work lives, I’ve decided to start sharing my analysis of emerging technologies here on a weekly basis. As a co-founder and CEO of an IT services company, I always have my eye on new technologies as they come into the market, so this is what I will be writing about.s