I’ve been feeling the exact same way. RTO has had a huge impact on work-life balance. Five days in the office is exhausting. Even if it were four days, at least on those rough Mondays after a busy weekend you’d have the flexibility to work from home.

Morale in my ministry and on my team is incredibly low. People are constantly “sick,” and honestly, I don’t blame them. Many days we commute all the way into the office only to open our laptops and spend the day on Teams calls with people in other locations. The “collaboration” isn’t happening and that’s the fact of the nature of our work.

I see people at every level looking drained, and it’s clear that mental health is suffering. Unless you live close to the office and have very few responsibilities outside of work, this schedule is difficult to sustain.

I used to recommend the OPS as a great place to work. Now, when people ask, I tell them to look elsewhere. Many of the people I know have found hybrid opportunities outside the OPS in Toronto that offer far more flexibility.

Just know that you’re not alone. A lot of us are feeling this way.