Someone on Reddit sparked an interesting discussion the other day about their manager’s Jekyll-and-Hyde routine during Teams meetings. Camera on? All smiles, warmth, and “how’s your day been, guys?” Camera off? Stone cold silence, even when sitting right next to them in the office. The original poster seemed genuinely baffled by this behaviour, wondering if they were dealing with some kind of corporate narcissist.

Reading through the thread, I found myself nodding along with most of the responses. This isn’t narcissism – it’s just the exhausting reality of modern professional life, particularly for introverts who’ve climbed into management roles.

There’s something oddly fascinating about the psychological warfare that plays out in those few minutes before a scheduled Teams meeting. You know the scenario: it’s 9:25am, you’re wrapping up something else, and suddenly that little notification pops up telling you someone has already started the 9:30am meeting. What do you do?

I’ve been thinking about this lately after stumbling across a discussion online where people were sharing their meeting joining strategies. The responses revealed something quite telling about how we’ve all adapted to this brave new world of remote work and endless video calls.

The phrase “gentle reminder” landed in my inbox again this morning, triggering a familiar eye roll and a deep sigh. It’s fascinating how these two seemingly innocent words have become corporate code for “mate, you’re seriously testing my patience here.”

Reading through various online discussions about this particular piece of corporate speak, it’s clear I’m not alone in my mild irritation with this passive-aggressive gem. The consensus seems to be that there’s nothing particularly gentle about these reminders - they’re more like a velvet-wrapped sledgehammer.

Reading through online discussions about people quitting their jobs without a backup plan really struck a chord with me today. Here in Melbourne’s CBD, where the “return to office” mandate echoes through the steel and glass towers, many are facing similar crossroads in their careers.

The sentiment that caught my attention was a company’s response to employees resistant to returning to the office: “maybe it’s best people who aren’t ok with being in the office just leave then.” The sheer arrogance of such statements makes my blood boil. It’s 2024, and some employers still haven’t learned from the pandemic years that flexible work arrangements aren’t just a temporary measure – they’re a fundamental shift in how we approach work.

The pendulum seems to be swinging back on remote work, and not in a way that many of us are happy about. Looking at recent discussions online, there’s a clear trend of companies pushing for more office presence, typically settling around that magic number of three days per week.

Working in tech for over two decades, I’ve witnessed numerous workplace transformations, but none quite as dramatic as the COVID-induced shift to remote work. Now, watching companies backpedal on their WFH policies feels like watching a streaming service suddenly reverting to scheduled programming – it just doesn’t make sense anymore.