| I WFH exclusively for 6+ years. 1. If you work from home obviously you will have lack of (work) social connections, yes WFH ain't that much fun as office. 2. I don't really need to know coworkers, it's useless information unrelated to my work. I work with some people 6+ years and have absolutely zero clue about their background or anything, actually I am almost longest working person there, I see people in emails changing while I am staying there, I dunno what happens to those people who stop writing me emails, whether they had kid, died or left for other company. 3. I don't even know what is "fit into company", I deliver results, nobody cares about some unmeasurable "fit", must be an American thing. 4. I know for sure social connections and open space office in work decreased my productivity/performance and time spent working. I was among the chattiest people in work, so I would enjoy that, but certainly it would take toll on my results. 5. My kid was born 7 years ago, so I wouldn't have time for social interactions outside work anyway other than on playgrounds/trips. |
looking at things that make work fun as "useless info" is a pretty bleak way to live life. I enjoy knowing that my co-worker is a soccer fan. So, after the weekend I can talk to him about the game. That doesn't mean I don't have other friends to talk soccer with. But talking to a co-worker about it makes work fun. It also builds great relationships which is always dependable in the corporate world.
"Fit into company" isn't an American thing haha. As you said, everyone changes and you are still there. So, lets say you join a new company tomorrow. Wouldn't it be great to know what similar interests you share with your new team from day 1? It makes it easier to get to know them, start work and even gives most people the confidence to ask difficult questions. Thats what fitting into a company fast looks like. It also increases productivity for the new people because they have fit in faster.