To Avoid Going Back To The Office, I Reported The Company For Violation of Covid-19 Regulations

I hate working from the office. I can’t stand the open spaces, the senseless meetings, the small chats, the coffee breaks, the public toilets, the smell of “sweaty” bodies.

I avoid working from the office like I avoid catching Covid-19.

Last month the company that I work for announced that they have made a decision to enforce work from the office. It’s not negotiable — 5 days per week in the office. No excuses, no “hybrid” work, no more sweatpants.

Take it or leave, they said.

I received the news while working from home and from abroad.

You see, I worked in trains, plains, on ferries, in the backseat of the taxi, in the restaurants on the 87th floor and even in the pub cellar.

Ultimately, I have worked remotely for years — before it was mandatory.

Some people manage remote work worse than others. A few of my friends are failing at remote work — finding that all they’ve done with their eight hours is answer 4 emails and daydream about their next vacation.

For me, working from home is a remarkable opportunity to be hyper-productive, to attend to my dog, exercise pilates, and help and support my family with anything they need in between. I can’t imagine actually working from the office full-time.

In two weeks I am expected to be back in the office — and I am trying to find ways to avoid that. I keep thinking of schemes for how to get away from the office while not needing to give in my resignation.

I like my job, I would be saddened if I had to leave it because of the decision of the management.

The decision makes little sense. I work in business development and marketing so I don’t need to be in the office. I work globally, I travel and I make connections with partners outside of the office.

I meet my KPIs — why should I go to the office?

I connected with two guys from my work — we think alike. One of my colleagues, an Italian decided to call it quits with work because of their no-work from home policy. He has spent the last 3 months living in Italy and working from home.

His grandmother died and he wishes to be with his family — indefinitely.

He asked to continue work remotely — they declined, so he left. His last day will be on 1st of October. Good luck, mio amico!

He is happy though — now he can focus on developing his comics book, something he wished to do for years. My other colleague got promoted to senior marketing manager — he too, hates working in the office.

Last week we had a call, I was remote, and he was hiding in a “meeting room”. He told me how hard it is for him to adapt and work in the office, he misses his old routine, that he has gotten accustomed to for over a year now.

He also misses his wife and his puppy.

He is worried about catching the Covid as well and he thinks that the company should be liable. So on his first day coming back to the office, he told his manager that if someone in the office catches Covid he would like the company to compensate him.

You see, if someone gets Covid — the whole office has to self-isolate for 14 days.

Why should he self-isolate for 14 days because someone caught Covid and infected others in the office when he spoke loud and clear that he feels uncomfortable going back!?

I agree with him. The company is responsible.

In the country where our company is based the cases started raising again. So I’ve checked the government rules and found that the government allows only 50 % of the official capacity to be filled. Our company is running on 100 %.

They are breaking the law.

I’ve sent this link to my dear colleague. Hoping that he would do, what I would do — if I had the balls to do it.

There are no words to describe his excitement when he read the link. He found his “getaway” ticket, his ride back home to his wife and the puppy.

My colleague is an amazing guy — he over-delivers at work but at the same time, he prioritizes himself. When Covid happened he made a decision — to focus on his needs and desires, including his physical and mental health.

“The company wishes to put us into the work building so we can be monitored. I am more productive when working from home. If I have to choose between work and my puppy. I will choose my puppy. And I will even accept a less paid job. My personal life comes first”

Amen!

Today we have received an email from the HR department that we will be downsizing our office capacity to 50 % per cent until the government allows us to fill it to the maximum. Coincidence?

I don’t do coincidences — I brainstorm, plan and execute.

I am expected to go back to the office in two weeks, now my time to go back has been postponed. But I won’t be able to avoid going back to the office forever.

I am still unsure how I will handle “going back” and whether I will do so. I am contemplating taking a long leave and focusing on writing.

What I do know is that I am happier when working remotely. When I work from home I tend to feel more loyal to the company, as I know that the company “trusts” me. I have lower stress, I have more time for hobbies, personal relationships and myself.

I also have fewer distractions and I can be myself. I don’t have to dress up when I don’t feel like it, or I can skip lunches with my colleagues who keep “pushing” me to join them.

It’s okay to say “no” — I don’t want to have lunch with you today or tomorrow!

Working from home allowed me to be there for my family. I will never forget the day when my dog died, I was due to go to the office, but somehow I decided that “today” I will stay at home.

I came up with an excuse and worked from home, while my dog slept under the table. In less than 5 hours he had a seizure and died. If I was in the office, I would never forgive myself for letting him die in pain alone, in his own shit and pee.

Choosing not to go to the office that day has allowed my dog to die with dignity.

So it’s not an understatement to say that it also saved my sanity. I don’t want to miss out on my family just because the management would not like to have my chair empty. As long as I keep on delivering results there are no logical reasons why they would like me in the office, except for “having me under control”.

Well, guess what?

They can’t control me.

I’ve learnt to respect and love myself — my own well-being comes first. The time that we have on this Earth is quite limited and to be honest, it has been proved that the majority “can” work remotely. So why change it?

The change is imminent. I am not going back to the “old normal”.The decision comes down to what you can or you cannot live with.

I can live without this job.

Thank you for your support and reading.

This article was originally published by me here.