Thread by @washingtonpost

As many workers head back to the office — even as the delta variant spreads across the U.S. — employees are facing a bizarre new reality: They’re still spending most of their time isolated and glued to their computers for Zoom meetings, email and Slack. wapo.st/2XVtmqM

Nick Kneer was excited to go back to the office. But his excitement quickly faded after the reality of in-person work set in.

To avoid contracting the delta variant, he ended up locked in a “windowless, cinder block room” — his temporary office. wapo.st/2XVtmqM

Beyond the “weird” experience of it all, Emily Wagner says the biggest issue is when two people at the office in earshot are on the same Zoom call.

If both people have their microphones on, the ambient sound creates an echo on the call. wapo.st/2XVtmqM

The way people work in offices now doesn’t look like how it did before the pandemic.

And the technology that allowed many employees to work from home has followed them back into the office, from video conferencing to messaging services. wapo.st/2XVtmqM

With more companies implementing permanent hybrid working options — in which some employees work from home and others in the office — the virtual nature of work may far outlive the pandemic.

And with it, so may the quirks of the new office environment. wapo.st/2XVtmqM