I dread wasting my own personal time to commute to an office I really do not need or want. Yet it seems I'm left with no choice.

During the pandemic when we worked from home that first year management said productivity went up. A great success. Now they want people to come back to the office where productivity was lower. There has been no mention of productivities numbers dropping. The only reason provided was "because".

The office is usually an "open" office. Thats horrible. If you want devs back how about giving an actual office.

The amount of BS talk and noice at the office is unbearable. Fart sounds. Kitchen sounds. Meetings, phone calls etc.

I always end up sitting with headphones (noice canceling) and some music and try to work.

Thats why i only go once or twice a week.

> Do I suddenly communicate like a caveman just because my face shows up on a screen?

I have seen people be rude and disrespectful in larger virtual meetings when they wouldn’t have behaved that way in person.