Work order: Where, when, how?

In 2020, Zoom became a verb, and work from home (WFH), a necessity.

- Dhamini Ratnam

In 2021, return to office (RTO) was a catchphrase that, some employees claimed, symbolized corporate greed that prioritized profit over their mental and physical health. Others pointed to the benefits of physical workplaces.

It is a debate that continues. Over the past five years, the disruption to how we work and live has led to phenomena such as Om Nomis (online drinking sessions), workplace hangouts, quiet quitting, and the Great Detachment (a sense of disengagement faced by burnt-out employees). It also involved sneaky stealth sacking by some employers who would rather pick on minor personal infractions than admit to wider layoffs.

Everyone of note has waded into the debate; many have polarized it.