3 Lessons We Learned Going Back to the Office

Earlier this year we made the bold decision to make everyone come back to the office full-time after two years working from a dressing table in the corner of their bedroom.

The results have been mixed. On one hand, we're definitely spending more money on coffee and our electric bill has gone through the roof. On the other hand, we're seeing more collaboration, better relationships, and a more cohesive culture.

Here are the three most important lessons we learned during our return to office life.

1. Efficiency isn't everything

When we were all working from home, we were obsessed with efficiency. We had metrics for everything and were constantly trying to optimize our processes. But we realized that efficiency isn't everything.

Some of the best ideas come from casual conversations in the hallway or spontaneous brainstorming sessions. These moments of serendipity are hard to replicate over Zoom.

2. Turnover is costly

We lost a few people when we announced the return to office policy. At first, we thought this was fine – we could just hire new people. But we quickly realized how costly turnover really is.

It's not just the cost of recruiting and training new employees. It's the loss of institutional knowledge, the disruption to team dynamics, and the time it takes for new people to get up to speed.

We've since become much more flexible about remote work options and have seen our retention rates improve significantly.

3. Office culture is about more than ping pong tables

Before the pandemic, we thought office culture was about having the coolest office space with all the latest amenities. We had a ping pong table, a fully stocked kitchen, and even a nap room.

But we learned that real office culture is about the relationships between people, the shared values and goals, and the sense of belonging that comes from working together towards something meaningful.

The ping pong table is nice, but it's not what makes people want to come to work every day. What matters is feeling valued, having opportunities to grow, and being part of a team that supports each other.

Going back to the office has been a learning experience for all of us. We're still figuring out the right balance between in-person and remote work, but we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can do their best work.