Shifting from Remote to In-Person Work
How is working in-person different from working remotely? How do I prepare/adjust to working in-person if I’ve only ever worked remotely? If my employer lets me choose, should I pick to work remotely, in-person, or hybrid?
If you’ve ever asked any of the questions above, read on! Though remote work can be traced back to the mid-1990s, it didn’t become widespread until 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you graduated college during or around this time, you may find the concept of working fully in-person to be a bit nerve-racking. This ECS Job Blog will provide you with some guidance on remote and in-person work.
In-Person vs. Remote Work
Of course, there are some obvious differences when you work in-person as opposed to remotely such as no more pajama pants, a commute, an established workstation, etc. However, there are also some less obvious differences as well. If you tend to be introverted, you might find working in-person to be a bit more tiring. Also, for some people, working in-person may be more distracting as colleagues stop by your desk to chat or you could have difficulty finding a meeting room. On the other hand, if you’re extraverted, you may feel more energized after a day in the office or you may not feel distracted. Either way, there are pros and cons to both options!
Tips for Your First Time Working In-Person
If you’re a little nervous for your first day in the office, you’re not alone. One piece of advice to help combat these nerves is just to simply be upfront about your feelings, others likely will relate. On top of that, as cheesy as it may sound, be yourself. If you’ve been interacting with your co-workers over Zoom, they probably already have a good feel for your personality. Entrepreneur offers more tips in their article.
Choosing What’s Right for You
If you’re lucky enough to work for an employer that lets you make your own schedule, you may find yourself torn on if in-person or remote work is best suited for you. While in-person work does tend to foster better connections, that doesn’t mean you can’t connect well via remote work either. Lately it seems like the trend is hybrid work (aka the best of both worlds). This is a weekly work schedule with both in-person and remote work days.
"Rule number one is, don't sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it's all small stuff." – Robert Eliot
