Why I’ve changed my opinion on remote working

When we first started talking about returning to the office I was filled with dread. Working from home was easy and comfortable and…well it works doesn’t it? I didn’t want to wake up early, I didn’t want to commute, and I didn’t want to re-learn how to tie my shoelaces or button a shirt, but it took less than a day in Carnival House to change my mind and now I’m in the office a couple of days a week. Here are my top four reasons for enjoying being back at Carnival House…

1. Breaks and chats … In the office there are REAL PEOPLE and they’re just as friendly as they were at the start of 2020! As countless awkward lockdown pub quizzes showed us, Zoom isn’t particularly conducive to just having a chat and catching up with people. Making time to take a break and stopping to chat to colleagues really makes all the difference. Pro tip, keep some time in your diary free because otherwise you’re going to be late to a LOT of meetings! Reconnecting with everyone has been great – especially those I don’t work directly with.

2. Meetings away from Zoom … A world where the conversation flows and there’s energy in the room that you just don’t get virtually. Zoom certainly has its place and is a useful tool but it also has a lot of limitations.

It’s nice to be able to talk without the distraction of your own face staring back at you or the temptation to just glance at that email while someone else is talking (don’t lie, we’ve all done it!)

3. Carnival House feels safe …. At the start of 2020 my mental health took a real nosedive, I’ve dealt with anxiety for most of my adult life and unsurprisingly, a global pandemic proved to be a significant trigger. In fact, I spent most of last year avoiding public places. 

The hardest thing for me was to step through the doors of the office on that first day back knowing that I was going to be around more people than I had been in 18 months.

When I did return I was blown away by how thorough the facilities team have been in setting everything up in a way which feels safe. I’ve also been really impressed with how considerate and respectful people have been about social distancing. Nowhere feels crowded or overwhelming.

And finally the sense of scale … It’s easy to get your head down and forget to look beyond your day to day to see the massive organisation we’re all a part of. All of us play a part in creating unforgettable holiday happiness for all our guests and being back together in the office has certainly helped me to feel closer to our purpose. If you get nothing else from your time in Carnival House, look out of the window at our ships and feel proud!

All our experiences of hybrid working are unique, and we can all learn from one another. Got a hybrid working story to share? We want to hear from you. Get in touch at Internal.Comms@carnivalukgroup.com