I went to lunch yesterday with the executive assistant of our company president and the executive assistant of our chief financial officer. Now my 'big' boss usually does not share much information with me. My other boss, whom I report to, will often share what is going on, even when it is confidential, and letting me know it is not to be shared. I like being "in the know".
As we ate lunch yesterday our discussion turned to the upcoming soon return to the office. It has been said it will be July. From what one of the EA's shared yesterday, due to the pandemic and financial loss of having to pay for space in an office building and no one being there all year (leases do create problems in times like this), they have released a lot of space. The thought of the entire division moving into the north tower (or was it the south tower?) is no longer a reality. They let the space go - even before we had moved into it. Based on my understanding of all the conversations yesterday, we will not be going back to the office at all.
At the most, if there is a meeting that needs to be face to face, one will have to 'reserve' an office or space and should only come into the office one or two days a week. If one of the executives (and I heard there were three or four who are insisting on it) wants to work in the office, they must be there a minimum of 4 days a week to have an office as 'theirs'. Our CFO is one of those executives as I guess she has a house with windows all around it and she refuses to set up a place at home to work and refuses to get curtains to block the light coming in and glaring on her computer during meetings. She definitely hates working from home....still! Not sure what her EA will do, but is hoping she can stay at home or limit to one or two days a week.
The president's EA has been told that 'working remote has worked for them so no need to change that'. As for me, my boss that I report to does NOT want to go into the office at all, but agreed to a couple days a week if she had to. But, in talking with her yestrday after my lunch meeting, she said that she can go into the Mesa office and not have to drive downtown. As for me, I can continue to work remote, coming in only when needed, which would be a rarity. I haven't heard from the 'big boss' for me - and it wouldn't matter - she is retiring June 11th and doesn't care if we go back or not. I really think she chose to retire because she doesn't WANT to go back to the office.....she is terrified of getting COVID even though she was one of the first to be vaccinated. I would hate to live in that much fear.
So, for now, it sounds like I will continue to work from home indefinitely. And, as long as I can work remote, why retire? I can sit at home at my computer workday after workday and make the most money I ever have (I just got a 3.24% raise) and save on gas, car wear and maintenance. Also save a lot on clothes.... I live in jeans and t-shirts anymore. I can't remember when I have bought clothes for myself. Hubby has gotten new shorts and shirts, but he does play the social butterfly while I'm working.... just saying... LOL
I will have another person to support when they are hired to replace the one who is leaving.... I suppose my going into the office will be determined by them as well, although I don't report to them. My big boss had said I had to be in the office 4 days a week... then she decided to retire. I reckon we will see. I guess I read pretty much correctly between the lines of emails we have been receiving from the chief medical officer of the entire company..... which is why I gave in to peer pressure and got the vaccine (I get my second dose on 4/23). She had stated in an email they will be looking at who has received the vaccine as to who will be allowed back in the office. Veiled threat? No vaccine, no office? How will that affect some people and their jobs? I decided not to deal with it and just get it. My one boss still has not received the vaccine ..... there is to be an award presented to a couple of people who report to this boss.... the award presented by the president of the division, the chief medical officer of the division, and the big chief medical officer of the company, as well as both of my bosses. It is in person. The email came out yesterday.... "if you haven't had the vaccine, you must call in (via microsoft teams) and virtually attend. If you have received the vaccine, you can attend in person." Wow. That is very clear. My big boss received her vaccine at the very beginning. The other has not... she sent me the email and commented..."well, I haven't been vaccinated so guess I will attend virtually.". It is what it is.
I did have a nice lunch yesterday with my co-workers and friends. We were there nearly 3 hours... I finally told them that I had to get back to work. We all left, but I left them talking outside. I guess they weren't in a hurry to get back. I wasn't either, but I knew I needed to.... and ended up working an extra 1/2 hour to do some things I needed to finish. And that's ok. It's not something I do often and most days don't even take a lunch hour, instead eating at my desk.
Wow - this has been a lot of rambling today, don't you think. I'm still so sleepy this morning, even now. I didn't sleep well at all last night; had trouble even getting to sleep. I think the culprit is that I had a glass and a half of ice tea last night with dinner. I do not usually drink caffeine in the evenings... I mean, I will occasionally have a cup of coffee, but it sure didn't affect me like the tea did last night. In the past, tea hasn't affected me either. But I think it did last night because it has been a long while since I have had more than one or two cups of coffee in the morning and that's it. The rest of the time I usually drink water. But my mind would not shut off last night and the last time I looked at the clock was 10:32... and we went to bed around 8:30! I bet I sleep tonight! But will need another cup of coffee to get me through this morning as my head is hurting even after one cup of coffee. I want to go back to sleep! But, I hear Sheeba moving around and I need to get dressed to take her out... hubby is already gone to 'do his thing' this morning.
Do you think that God has brought this continuing remote working from home for me? I certainly have had mixed feelings of going back to the office. Part of me wants it - I need to have the freedom of being me again. I have become such an introvert! Part of me dreads the driving in the traffic and going to an office that I don't know anything about (the downtown office instead of the Mesa office). It's still 20 miles away.... but is much better than the 56 miles one way to Mesa. Maybe I will quit whining about retiring (probalby not) for now..... it's nice that when 4PM comes around I can shut the computer off and I'm home from work.
God always takes care of His own. I guess He is taking care of me. I can retire... when He is ready for me to be released. I don't know when that will be, but He does. It may be decided that my job will be eliminated since my work load has decreased drastically. I sit many days with nothing to do but make one or two meetings. But, if they do away with my position, I will get a severance package and they are usually pretty generous. I would definitely know that God is in it then. But until then - back to work!
Have a blessed day!
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