I am the only employee in my firm who must work from the office. This is because somebody has to handle all the physical mail that goes in and out, and that somebody is me.
Literally everyone else in the office has the option of working from home. Even the people who work in the same city as the head office. I have colleagues that I've worked with for nearly 3 years and I've never met. Some people try to work in the office quite frequently because it helps their concentration, or there home life isn't conducive to having a workspace. Some of the upper management come at least once every week or two just to make paying rent on this ridiculously large space worthwhile, I assume.
But I must stress that no one is compelled to come to our office if they don't need to.
Last week the big boss flew in from Florida and dropped by for 45 minutes for reasons. He went into one of the upper management's office, they had a conversation, and then he left. I have no idea why he came. I don't particularly like it when he visits us because he's a bit of an anti-vaxer freedom convoy Republican nut. Super nice guy, but our politics do not align.
But after he leaves, my colleague who was locked in the room with him for nearly an hour, gets the sniffles. Says it's just allergies, just a cold it's nothing, etc. Ask him if he tested for covid, he says yes and it's negative. He spends next couple days not feeling very well and I avoid him because even if it's not covid I don't want to get sick.
Today he comes into work and he's just wretched. Ask why he's not at a home in bed, he's clearly very sick and even if it's not covid he shouldn't be at the office. He tells me he's actually not sure it's not covid.
Maskless, he goes down to the pharmacy, picks up a testing kit, goes back into his office and closes the door. Half an hour later he tells me to avoid him today and not to open his door.
I am still working the same office, breathing the same recycled air as you! I asked when he was heading home so I could help reschedule some of his meetings and he said he's not!
So I guess I'm just supposed to sit at the desk outside of his door in my mask and pray?
The thing about all of this is if I get covid and I can't come into work for a week, this place will explode. They literally cannot do without me for a week.
Of course I don't want to get sick. Luckily I've had five vaccinations. But you're literally endangering the operations of your firm. We are currently in the "fuck around" phase of things...
