[throwaway-38nmm]

I have ADD. The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult for me. During in-person meetings, I'm able to mostly focus on what's being said and participate as needed. In online meetings, I invariably zone out and miss everything.

I don't doubt that online work has helped a lot of people participate, but as with all things it's an environment that will work better for some and worse for others. What we should have is both—companies and teams where the expectation is that you'll come to the office every day and meet in a conference room, and companies and teams where most meetings are done online.

[nomansland]

I have ADHD as well as a few of my colleagues(we talk about it pretty openly, which is also great, but likely belongs on another thread). A lot of folks on the ADHD spectrum have chosen to RTO early in my group, due to the things you've mentioned. It's not just meetings. The ADHD people usually will report things like, it's easier to stay focused on code in the office, with few distractions. Though, tbh, the office right now for me is a dream - we're at voluntary RTO. There's 20% occupancy, it's very quiet, no home distractions, and sets the scene change my ADHD needs to remind my brain it's at work.

I agree that there's so many different ways to work, that one modality is never going to make everyone happy.

[cauthon]

> I have ADD. The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult for me. During in-person meetings, I'm able to mostly focus on what's being said and participate as needed. In online meetings, I invariably zone out and miss everything.

Are you my boss?

Seriously though, I’d be working 100% from my home if my boss could parse anything from video meetings. But he can’t, so I’m in once a week for all our project meetings. I don’t actually mind it most of the time, I like the break from home and being able to whiteboard.

I agree that fully remote work isn’t the universally level playing field so many are making it out to be.