Welcome to the “Where Are You Now?” season at Ask a Manager! From now until the end of the year, I’ll be providing updates from individuals whose letters were previously answered here.
Do you remember the letter writer who asked for advice on coping without an assigned work space? Well, here’s the update.
After seeking advice on how to cope with a hoteling office model, I received some great suggestions from your readers. Many of them also expressed outrage on my behalf, which was very supportive. They even picked up on the fact that I live in a cold climate and offered advice on my shoe-related struggles.
Here’s what I ended up doing:
1. I stopped worrying so much about my appearance at the office. I now wear jeans instead of dress pants, and most of my colleagues do the same.
2. I began wearing a large scarf to keep warm on my way to the office, and then used it as a blanket at my desk.
3. I pushed back about the shoe policy and we now have a shoe tray where we can leave our office shoes overnight. While I’m still wearing sneakers for now, I’ll be transitioning to boots for the upcoming season.
4. I invested in a sturdy travel backpack with plenty of compartments. The only downside is that it doesn’t have a cup holder, but I typically drink my tea out of a travel mug on the way to the office, which then becomes my water cup later in the day.
5. I downloaded the Libby app and have been reading books on my phone, all of which I can borrow from the local library. This has reignited my love for reading and saves space in my backpack. I’m not sponsored by the app, I just really love it and encourage others to support their local library!
6. I continue to wear a mask in common areas, but since there are rarely many people in the office, I feel comfortable removing it at my desk, which has helped with the dehydration issue.
While I’m still not thrilled about being in the office, as it doesn’t necessarily improve my work, I am making the best of it. The advice from your readers helped me address the practical aspects of my new “pack mule” lifestyle.
