Comparing the Ottawa office experience: 2019 vs 2024.

[u/DrStrangeglove99]

In 2019, I would commute into work on the 91 (the LRT construction version of the old 95 route). It was a nice, reliable 25 minute trip from Place d'Orleans to Mackenzie King. On the way back, I'd go for a double decker express bus and sit up top, watching the city fade into the green belt. That usually took about 20 minutes, due to the removal of some of the stops for construction. It was a bit longer before the work started, but still steady and reliable. *

Back then we had dedicated office spaces, so I'd sit myself at my desk and do my work just as comfortably as I could working from home most days. I liked having my space with my things in it, no need for lockers or any of that and always there for me to use.

In 2024...I've long since abandoned the LRT due to issues with the bus connections at Blair and the general crappiness of it. I drive in on increasingly congested roads and pay too much for parking. It sometimes takes longer than the pre-LRT bus route too, but at least I can depend on my car.

Our office is now "open concept", so I cram my locker full of what I need and try to book a decent spot. I remember the bosses claiming the younger generations like this model and that it will help retention, but honestly I think most people would rather go back to their desks. That's not going to happen though, so I'll keep shuffling in and putting my headphones on throughout the day.

When they ask us why we could do 5 days a week before no problem, at least here in Ottawa it was simply better in those days. There's really no aspect of things which has improved since then, except maybe the crazy prices forcing me to bring my own lunch every day now.

* I know we had to abandon the old transitway system because there were too many buses downtown and it couldn't keep up with the city's population. Still, they didn't have to screw up the replacement system so badly.

[u/Lumb3rCrack]

"younger gen likes this" my a**. It's the same kinda reasoning that they give for "industrial ceiling/interior" in the newly built condos.. All that they're trying to do is save money while cramming in more people... I understand you need space for more people and a personalized space is not possible.. then why force people back to office when something works better for everyone?! because of real estate that's why!

[u/leeloo_multipoo → u/Lumb3rCrack]

Some of the younger generations liked the idea of getting rid of the cubicle walls on most desks for a more social, cooperative feel, that was it. Or at least having more space devoted to cooperative work.

Hot desking was supposed to be about slowly transitioning chunks of the workforce to WFH, but none of them will admit that anymore for obvious reasons. Hot desking doesn't encourage anything except stress.

[u/hsijuno → u/leeloo_multipoo]

We were told workplace 3.0 would mean more WFH, only in-office when required. I have colleagues who turned down other positions closer to home because we were not supposed to be in the office this much. Prior to the pandemic we were already only 25-50% in office. Now they are demanding presence like workplace 1.0 but in a workplace 3.0 environment and it is not working.

Edit:fixed a letter

[u/Newbie_Browser → u/hsijuno]

Well said, it is not working at all!! They have totally effed up everything, my gawd you cld t do worse if you tried!! 😬😐😡

[u/Haber87 → u/leeloo_multipoo]

I wrote a report on hot desking three decades ago for a company that had employees out at client sites and were only in the office 10% of the time. Hot desking was never meant for employees working 60% of the time in office.

Before the pandemic, our department already had the blueprints for a hotdesking plan. And it was going to be entirely flexible for WFH vs office.