3 things I won’t miss about remote work as RTO policies get stricter in 2026

Over the past five years, the remote work revolution has changed life as we know it for corporate folks like myself. And while I’m on the record singing the praises of working from home , I’d like to set the record straight: It’s not without its faults. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed my weekday afternoon naps and time away from co-workers. But I’ve also come to realize that before the pandemic, we were putting a little bit too much gas on working from home. Is WFH convenient? You bet your ass it is. Waking up and not having to get out of bed — or get in the shower or get dressed because I’m taking all my meetings with the camera off — is a lifestyle I’ve come to appreciate. But what has actually depreciated is my personal satisfaction with my apartment, my building, and my neighbors. I’m not the only person dreading the stricter return-to-office policies companies like Paramount and Microsoft are mandating for the new year, but there are some aspects of working from home that I certainly won’t miss. Let’s start with my own pad, a modest one-bedroom with a nice view. It’s one of those places that often garner compliments from first-time guests after they return from the bathroom. You know what I’m talking about. They walk out, still drying their hands with a paper towel, look around, and say, “Wow, you’ve got a nice place here.” I’ve always appreciated that, because I felt the same way. But when I began working from home, I started to realize that what I had is not enough. Specifically, I need a building that can help a brother out when it comes to maintenance. I may not live in The PJs , but our super, Randy, has the apathy of Thurgood Stubbs . Which I wouldn’t care about if it didn’t infringe on my own work performance. Dude almost never comes to the building, and when he does, he tries to get everything done in one day. It’s inefficient as hell. While I’ve successfully plunged a toilet back in my day, I’m no Black Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, which usually leaves me at Randy’s mercy when things go haywire at home. On one occassion, my kitchen sink randomly started leaking. And while Randy promised to come take a look as soon as possible, I knew that could take days. So I rolled up my sleeves and aimlessly poked around under the sink, losing track of time and logging in a few minutes late for a Zoom meeting as a result. Ugh. (Speaking of video conferences, due to my apartment’s ancient infrastructure, we’re apparently not equipped to receive Fios service, which means our internet connectivity is more than seldom subpar. With the number of times I’ve been told I’m frozen on calls, you’d think I lived in Antarctica. Burr!) There are other obstacles that WFH has presented. Since my name is the first in my building’s intercom directory, I’m...

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