Two years on, women keen to return to office

Many say working from home has increased their chores, and they miss the buzz of a regular workplace

Many women say they look forward to working from office after almost two years of working from home.

“While working from home, I’m not able to differentiate between my professional and personal life,” says Chandini Lalith, project coordinator with a healthcare solutions provider.

She feels sleep-deprived, trying to manage her schedule around her newborn and her work. “I got done with my maternity leave three months ago and I would rather go to the office to work as I find myself working all night due to my chaotic routine,” she says.

She has a nanny to look after the baby, but that isn’t solving the problem. “When you are at home, you just want to do things yourself. This, in turn, takes up a lot of my time,” she says.

Stephe Caroline, senior interior designer, misses socialising with her co-workers. “I only get to interact with my kids, husband and in-laws. I’m desperate to meet people who relate to me,” she says.

She feels spending time with the same people all day and every day gives room for misunderstandings. “Moreover it is nice to get ready and step out of the house once in a while,” she adds.

Sharing of gadgets leads to delays. “My kids and I use the same gadgets. So, I have to lend my smartphone or laptop for their online classes and assignments. Until that is done, I cannot do my office work,” she adds.

The little tours to the grocery stores and supermarkets adds to the pressure, says Meghana Ramaswamy, associate partner with an environment consulting company. “You remember to buy your essentials during work hours! When you are in office, there is always a higher-up making sure that the work is done on time. It can get annoying sometimes, sure. But it is necessary,” she says.

There are many bright sides to working from home — you save on the commute — but it also complicates the little things in life. Staying motivated is not so easy, says Anjali Nayaka, HR representative.

Expert speaks

The team of Heart It Out, a mental health wellness center in Koramangala, has seen a high level of WFH fatigue among clients of the age of 21 to 60. Cofounder and psychologist Nithya J Rao says that gendered expectations, marital status, and parenting pressure affect the level of burnout among women. “Women are usually primary caregivers for children, so they have to constantly flip between motherhood and professional roles,” she adds.