Today is the first business day of the new year. We've made it, and we've left 2020 behind, though I suspect some of the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic will remain for some time. Vaccinations are occurring, but there are a lot of people that need them, and until the world finds many people protected, I don't know how back to normal things will get.

One thing I wonder about is the business office. Those of us working in technology may not have been too disrupted with the shift to remote work, but we also didn't have a choice. Recently I saw an article, Dreading or dreaming of a return to the office in 2021, that piqued my interest. I wonder for many of you, do you desire or dread the return to an office?

I suspect the majority of people want some sort of hybrid situation, a few days in the office and a few days at home. Among the friends I've asked, office time ranges from 4-5 days a week in the office to 1-2 days a month. I don't know many people that never want to go to the office, and relatively few that want to be there full time.

Personally I've been in the hybrid situation for years. I work most days at home, usually spend about 40 days on the road in various other locations and then get to the Redgate office for about 12-15 days a year. That works out well for me, and it lets me keep in touch with people, build bonds and trust, and enjoy life at home. I hope that I'll be able to get back to the UK in 2021, but who knows how life will change.

I do think many businesses will look to use their offices in some way. As they do, I know that there will be another period of disruption and adjustment for employees. From having others around to the commute time to the finding the things I need (either digital or physical items), I would suspect that it will take weeks for everyone to feel comfortable again. I also wonder if most of us will be happy with the way our situation works out.