The Most Hilarious Argument For Returning To The Office That Completely Fails

I love comedy - and it becomes SO much sweeter when there is never any intention for the content to be seen as funny.

If you follow my work, I've regularly commented about how the "reasoning" behind Return-To-Office Mandates makes no sense.

Continuously, I have seen NO real data showing why Leaders should force Employees back into the office.

When you look at the Psychophysiological reality of the world today and the continuous research from reputable places, it ALL shows that Return-To-Offices Mandates are a REALLY Poor Decision.

Until we fix the Burnout Problem, which Leaders have mostly done nothing about, all efforts to get back into the office will backfire.

Indeed, we have seen multiple "Mandates" with threats of firing employees that have gone completely ignored.

Employees recognize the truth of it, and they are calling the bluffs of unsure Leaders.

However, there was a story that I only just heard about recently that made me laugh uncontrollably at the desperation of businesses to push employees back into their prisons... I mean offices...

The story originally came out in June, so I apologize if this is not "News" to you.

Apparently, there was research done by the Univesity of Leeds, which a furniture company took and used to design a 3D model of what "home-workers could look like by the year 2100".

Now, there are a TON of problems with this entire story.

The model itself could be considered the stuff of most people's nightmares, so I give credit there!

Super hunchbacked, eyes dark, red, and swollen, plus the deep levels of anxiety and depression from a solitary life.

Oh!

Don't forget the "clawed hands" that are "permanently" curled due to using your computer mouse too much!

Truly impressive work by whoever asked how they could make the model more terrifying!

However, here's the Reality.

First, the entirety of the Image and Research should be put into question.

The model itself was designed by a furniture supplier named, "Furniture At Work".

Guess what types of clients they have?

... Offices.

Of course, THEY want you to go back to the office!

That's how they make money!

Plus - what's the difference between having your hands on a mouse all day at your house versus in an office?

Nothing... unless you sell furniture to those Offices.

That is the first problem.

The next problem is when you look at the Project Team behind the "research" that this company utilized.

There is an impressive list of members on the Team, but do you know what area of study is NOT mentioned anywhere in that team?

Physiology.

Not one single individual on the Project Team has any mention of being trained in any aspect of Physiology.

There are many Organizational Psychology professors, as well as Information Systems, Information Management, and even Building Energy Systems (aka an Engineer who works on buildings).

As smart as these individuals are, their qualifications for their work being used for a 3D model of the Physiology of a "Future Home-Worker" should be questioned.

Indeed, going through the research, only 2 of the 65 pages talk about "Ergonomics" at all.

Within it, there is nothing that discusses any form of "Impact" of bad Ergonomics.

It reads more like a general guideline about Ergonomics as opposed to in-depth research around the potential consequences of poor Physiology.

So... This model was basically a COMPLETE fabrication that took research to make it "seem" more official, even though the research has nothing to do with Ergonomics or Physiology.

If detailed Physiological Research "had" been involved, there would have been more discussion about the Dis-Stress Impact on Breathing which negatively Impacts Posture significantly more than any "strange surface" someone may choose to do their work on.

Essentially, this ENTIRE model was just Propaganda to get people to return to the Office so that a Furniture Store would be able to continue to feasibly do Business.

Oh!

But it gets better!

APPARENTLY, this isn't the first time that a furniture company has done a 3D Model campaign like this!

"Before" the craziness of 2020, an almost IDENTICAL model was created that talked about how OFFICE workers would look in 20 years!

So, is the moral of this Story that if I have to choose between looking like that in 20 years (For In-Office Work) or 80 years (For Remote-Work), then I should choose... Remote-Work?

Well, that's not exactly the moral that we should take away.

The real moral is that we should question where information comes from and who is giving it.

Also, just because there are "Scientists" and "Researchers" involved, doesn't mean you should automatically trust it - look at the research.

As far as it comes to this - you shouldn't have fears that "where" you work will turn you into this "Goblin" as it has been called.

But, do you know what "can" cause many of these issues that the 3D Model highlights? (Except the "Clawed Hands")

Dis-Stress and Burnout.

These have been shown to cause things like improper posture, weight gain, skin damage, swelling, eye problems, anxiety, and even depression.

In this story, there are only 2 villains.

Unscrupulous Organizations that don't look at people as people, and the Dis-Stress and Burnout that the Leaders of those organizations cause.