Recruiter gives tips for returning to the office, says some choose to continue to work from home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One year ago, many of us learned a new way to work -- from home! And now, as the world begins to return to normal, many workers are being called back.

For Matt Lowney, home is where the heart is. It’s also where work is. Last March, when COVID-19 was still new to our vocabulary, Matt was sent home for safety. It wasn't a huge shift since most of his work as a job recruiter is done on the computer and phone.

But his family life did change. As the months wore on and new routines were born, he found working from home, worked for him.

“Our personal lives worked better. I didn’t have eight hours a week worth of commuting to do and just simple things you can do during the day – you can switch over laundry – you don’t have to wait till the end of the day. It just worked for our family better that I was here. All four of us are much happier now because of it,” said Lowney.

So when he got the call to return to his workplace, he did, but only until he found a permanent "work from home" job. And this job recruiter doesn't expect he'll be alone.

“This is the tension that exists right now and I think it will continue to emerge in the next 3 – 5 years. Really talented people if they continue to hold to their guns and say ‘I want to work from home and I can be productive and show it’ - employers won’t have an option but to say ‘yeah we’re a location-neutral operator.’”

And for the employees who will return, Lowney says, to bring with you some patience for your co-workers and managers.

“I think it’s going to be rocky culturally for a lot of companies during that time.”

On the bright side, Lowney says the job market is the hottest he's seen in the last 15 years. He believes as more jobs transition to working from home permanently, job security will be tied to your results more than the hours you put in.

If you are looking to make a change, he offers these tips:

• Determine how many months you will dedicate to your new job search.
• Allot a number of hours each week to that search.
• And make sure you pick up the phone to network with others.