Video meetings are not for me.

I have worked from a virtual office (home-based) for many years, so the pandemic inspired “work from home” experience isn’t new to me. When I started working from a virtual location, companies were very suspicious; all they could think about was how they’d ensure I was working a full day. They’d also fret over issues like home safety, equipment, and the like.

Now, with zillions of folks working from home (home office or not), all they need is a laptop, strong internet signals, and a video chat application. Even with this advanced technology, video chatters spend an inordinate amount of time fussing and fiddling with connections, audio, video, and who can’t sign in. Not long ago, I was on a call with people in 3 cities in the US and 2 cities in France (our US team didn’t speak a word of French). We didn’t accomplish a single thing on that call.

Now, companies have seen the light, and working from home (or a virtual office, for purists) will be around for years to come. I can tell you that over the years, I’ve worked more prolonged, more productive hours from my home office than from any office I had in New York City.

It’s laughable now when I think of standing on the local train platform with an army of fellow commuters; everyone had their place to stand before boarding, and to sit in a particular seat on the train. It was all controlled, and woe be it to a newcomer who sat in someone’s accustomed seat going into or out of Grand Central. Day after day, we all saw each other. What an incredible waste of time.

In my home office, I’ve always had everything anyone would need to work efficiently. Early on, I didn’t have computers or laptops. However, the three Kings of Communication was my fax machine, HP printer, and my trusty IBM typewriter. The typewriter probably weighed at least 35 pounds and took up 50% of my available workspace (I am using the same desk right now). The printer was also gigantic, heavy, and expensive (around $3000) as I recall.

The fax machine was my great leap forward, complete with thermal paper and all. I bought this gem from Staples for the astronomical price of $1400. Hard to believe. I once was negotiating for a position based in Hong Kong; one day, I returned home to a fax message that was about 10′ long. Such progress.

I’ll hold out on video calls for as long as I’m able to since Zooming is here to stay; I guess I’ll have to look for a new fax machine to be competitive.