Ajay: Hey, long time no see. Why are you not visiting the club these days? You used to be one of the most active members.
Natasha: Hey, Ajay! Earlier I used to drop by the club on the way back home from the office. But after Covid struck, I have been working from home entirely.
Ajay: Oh! How do you feel about the whole work from home thing?
Natasha: In a way it’s quite convenient. But the flip side is that it has cut me off from my social circles and limited my human interactions.
Ajay: I understand. I agree there should be more flexibility for those who need it, but when it comes to things like permanent work-from-home, I have some apprehensions too. In fact, I feel it would more negatively affect women as women are increasingly seen to be choosing work-from-home while more and more men return to the office.
Natasha: Totally agree. It not only places the burden of managing home more on us, but also affects our careers as we miss out on the networking opportunities the office offers. In an ideal world, it should be the work that matters and not our presence in the office. But with the glass ceiling remaining a reality, being away from the office and not having that ‘people-connect’ could very much affect our career growth and promotions.
Ajay: You just echoed my fears. Many of my female friends and colleagues have time and again reiterated how ‘office’ is not just ‘work’ for them, but a very liberating experience. I think everybody, particularly women, should explore a world outside home. And office, in my opinion, is that portal which opens to a larger world.
