Should I go to the office at all?

Maxim Behar has launched his weekly column "Max's Column" for TBmagazine. He will be short and to the point, up-to-date but different, insightful and share useful tips based on his years of experience and knowledge. He is Maxim Behar and he has a lot to tell you...


Well, the pandemic has come, almost two years now, and hundreds of millions of people around the world have discovered one simple truth - why on earth would we have gone to our offices before? But it was so nice at home - you have coffee, stay in your pajamas and slippers in front of your laptop, log into your mailbox, check your Facebook or Instagram and come across all mirror and bathroom selfies and analyze the phone angles they take the photos... And most importantly - you don't have to take the bus or run for the last subway train because you might be late for work.

There's an undeniable truth in that first paragraph. We've discovered something important - we can work from home. Modern communications allow us to be infinitely well connected, accurate, get along perfectly with "half a word" written in an email. What's more, online communication now gives us two undeniable advantages. First - we can meet an entire team, large or small, at any time for as long as we want. We can all look each other in the eyes, chat or exchange videos and a bunch of other goodies that are simply impossible to do in the office. And second - being in Tokyo at 9am, then talking to a client from Nairobi, then waiting for those from New York to wake up so you can discuss with them too, and finally someone from Bulgaria also joins you on Zoom to ask when the strategy for his new factory will be ready...

Of course, we could list a third and a fourth... but one thing is more than clear - the business has changed forever. That's why we need to make our strategic plans from now, so that "tomorrow" we can succeed in business even more.

These days I don't know any business that doesn't need teamwork, fresh and smiling people who have common goals, interests and friendships. Teams are the ones that succeed, that innovate and break stereotypes, increasingly rarely is this the case with individualists. And there's still no formula that shows how to make a successful team online... unless someone else comes up with it. I'm sure I can come up with one by the end of this year. But until then, as conditions allow, we should see more of each other in our offices. And to succeed together with our colleagues in these rather controversial business times.

Source: https://www.tbmagazine.net/statia/dali-da-khodya-v-ofisa-vobsche.html