I've been working from my home studio for a few years, but all of a sudden everyone wanted to do a video chat even when a phone call would have sufficed. It was everyone's new toy. It's definitely here to stay, my wife's company will be saving a lot of money on flights now that its various regions across the country are Zoom-ready. I'm currently working with some folks in New Zealand, which is fun because when I do chat with them, I'm looking into the future!

I am tired of having to tidy up my office and double check my shirt every time someone wants to chat, but it sure beats commuting. I just think some people are less professional than others. I wouldn't be surprised if your colleague was casually trying to show off her cat.

But the topic always reminds me of this gem:

I do not have any experience with using it.  I do really enjoy watching people on zoom or whatever on TV and seeing the funny or unexpected things that might happen.  Or just looking around the rooms at people's crooked picture frames, messy bookshelves (or empty bookshelves, what they choose to put on their book shelves) - just the backdrops and rooms they choose to "broadcast" from in general.  It's entertainment for me.  Sometimes my wife will record something she saw and then when I come home "Scott, you have to see this guy's office".  Who was it, one of CNN's contributors on the Derek Chauvin trial.  I'll see if I can find a screenshot at what I mean. 

I can't find it, don't remember his name and all the search results that come up find Jeffrey Toobin - not what I'm trying to find - LOL!  Talk about what not to do on a zoom call!

I have been working from home now for a year and a half and have adjusted to not having to get up as early and don't miss the 40 minute each way commute. 

I do miss the face to face interactions with my team but we do frequent Teams calls to stay aligned.

I rarely have to put the video on so I work in overalls as I don't need to impress anyone.

I spend close to 6 hours a day doing Teams calls but in many cases I can just listen and get other work done in the background.

I think this will be the new norm even after Covid is under control as Companies now realize theh don't need expensive brick and mortar offices to conduct business.

I recently returned to the working in my office.  I have to say that physically separating work from home is a good thing for me.  When working at home, I wasn't successful at keeping personal and work separated.  Sometimes to the point of not being able to sleep.  The commute in the car helps me leave work behind.  (Plus giving me time to listen to more music.)

My office didn't do a lot of video meetings, but a few.  I use an extended monitor from my laptop both at home and in the office, so I just don't open the laptop.  About half the people on our calls have done the same thing.

I've been working from home since March 2020 and plan to continue. I don't zoom; I think it's like a toy that spawned a lot of "experts" who tell you what's the best way to position your monitor, lighting, colors, makeup for both men & women so as to not look like zombies, & what to wear. I don't actually need to see anyone I'm talking to so a phone or conference call suffices. I'm a person who hates Casual Friday because I don't think anyone ever really got the hang of what's appropriate & frankly, in large firms it was hard to tell the clients from the lawyers some days. The last thing I want to see is people in their homes.

I'm good w/taking breaks & keeping a work routine. Pre-Covid or now, my work has kept me up all night to meet deadlines sometimes & sometimes, I'm done at 1 pm. 

I've continued to see colleagues & clients outside/masked/social distanced & more so now that the weather is warmer & things are opening up.

As for the percentage of people who'll continue to work from home, it depends on the type of business. Some large corporations have already surrendered office space. Customer service seems split. I've had people tell me they've just received notice they'll permanently work from home (financial services). There are definitely businesses where having in-person groups bouncing ideas produces more creativity. 

I miss Jeffrey Toobin CNN's legal analyst; what an moronic thing to do on air.

@cyclone88 From what I read on "Behind the Scenes in D. C." blog, Toobin was known by several to be addicted to whacking his junk several times a day but Zoom got him into trouble. He thought everything was off but he was wrong. His screen was still hot and a couple of ladies on the zoom call saw him unzip and....ah...well...you know.  He will never be on TV again. That one slip up got him canceled and not by the people with cancel culture. 

I'm not a work at home zoom kind of guy. I love to fly and travel and can't wait to once again become a regular customer for Delta Airlines. 

Haven't been anywhere for a year. I'm reduced to watching plane spotters videos. The ones shot in Chicago are the best to me. 

But landing over the Myrtle Avenue Apartments in London is good too. Wonder how they stand it in those apartments??

@robertdee

Didn't know that about Toobin; just enjoyed his books & his commentary was thoughtful. Incredibly stupid to do that on zoom.

Definitely miss traveling!!! That's the part of work I enjoy most. Hope to get back to that soon, but am not desperate enough yet to watch videos regularly. Hope those Myrtle Ave residents pay a low rent.  

@cyclone88  I agree Toobin has a good legal mind and insightful commentary that is missed. I have no idea how accurate a D. C. blog is concerning him or anyone but he did do that when a couple of ladies could see him via Zoom and apparently they complained to CNN and Toobin was immediately removed from his position at the network. This must be as embarrassing to him as Charlie Rose or Matt Lauer being exposed as taking liberties with women on their staffs. Especially Matt Lauer. Matt was excellent on the air and great with an interview. I think Bill O'Reilly also was terminated because of bad behavior with women on the staff and was fired as his nightly cable show was number one in it's time slot. 

Yes if I lived in those apartments near Heathrow in London, I would be looking out the window to plane spot. Strange they were built next to a runway at one of the busiest airports in the world. 

Obviously this is going to change a lot of things. And brings up a lot of issues. As was mentioned it does depend on the industry itself. There are some places where you have to be present. On a more micro level I think it depends on the management of the company. I know some places still want people present. Is the staff comfortable with that? Does someone willing to come into the office looked at more favorably than someone who isn't?

Businesses getting rid of the costs of rent, spacing, parking, overhead, etc. will probably mean fewer people in offices. My wife is a property manager for a commercial high rise in downtown Chicago. When this thing hit last year my first thought was that nobody would come into her building and they wouldn't need her. She isn't worried. I guess the tenants typically sign long term leases. The building I worked in is 57 stories tall and is 85% leased. Apparently that is good, I don't know. The leases were signed before this crap happened. But hardly anyone is in the building. 

This is going to also alter several industries. Obviously the airline industry is getting hammered (can you say government bailout), hotels, restaurants, retail, business travel, conventions. We have the largest convention center I've ever been to in Chicago. Other than building maintenance and security it is empty. I have a friend that relies on conventions and tourists to come into his restaurant to keep the place afloat. 

Most companies will still want office space and have employees on site. It's not just optics and professional, but also oversight. My wife's company mostly shut down their office for a few months last Spring, and a lot of employees weren't getting their work done without the boss around. It's also good to be able to separate work life and home life - I have an office that I can walk out of at the end of the day. 

I miss traveling too. We usually get back to NYC and WI a few times a year. Hope to finally see my parents again this Summer. Had plans to go see my brother in Spain as well.

I hope my wife gets back to traveling for work too. I was tagging along on her trips when I could. Spent a couple days in New Orleans before COVID made landfall, and was planning on tagging along to Cali. We'll get back in the air eventually.

I had a Google Meet meeting that had to turn into audio because the software said my browser didn't support it. I have two Microsoft Teams meetings that I just know will get screwed up.

Great tech for work or if you really want to see someone or get a visual on a task - but the I can't stand this new ethic of expecting video contact as a social obligation - suddenly you have to be ready for prime time at home. If you decline vid contact it is considered antisocial. So home is being forced to become public.

It sucks!

We participated in three Zoom happy hours plus a family Thanksgiving one.  They were fun for about a half hour max but after sitting and staring at the screen trying to keep eye contact with everyone, I got worn out.  My advice is have someone play music everyone likes and can hear plus set up the camera(s) where you can move around especially while cooking.