Millhouse

This my first time in the DIFC (excluding the bars and restaurants at night) for a while... wow, a ghost town. I'm currently one of three in my office (a full floor of the gate building)... looking at Pret, security, parking and even the supermarket I have a feeling my story is one that repeated elsewhere.

What are the other commercial areas of Dubai like? There's literally no one around.

flares

You have Pret in Dubai? when did that happen?

Filter coffee and mini egg and sun dried tomato baguette (or occasionally salmon and egg) - job done

Millhouse

It opened about a year ago (I think). In the UK, I'd be all over the hot bacon sandwiches - here it's just the coffee but I'm OK with that.

scrubbedexpat141

Emaar Square.
Buildings are quieter, no queue at Costa, Pret-to-go (nice but a rip off of your proper Pret) has only one fridge with anything in, no queues and the staff practically beg you to make it a meal-deal.
Our office is about 25% capacity most days but is spread across two floors. Apparently we're getting rid of the half floor and merging everyone into one.
We're being asked in 3 days a week, I've been doing that for the last few weeks but when I turn up and there's nobody else here I wonder why. Nice to change the scenery though.
Traffic / general level of busyness is really low. Not ghost town, but if it went back to normal tomorrow I'd have a fit.

Millhouse

We also have a Pret-to-go... from what I can see it has nothing to do with Pret.

I think we will be handing back a floor in Jan... full floor in the gate building - not a cheap rental at all.

scrubbedexpat141

Nah, don't think it does either. It's nice but the recent desperation of being talked to about the meal deal whilst picking a sarnie and then asked again en route to the counter and again at the counter is just annoying. I want a sarnie because I forgot my healthy lunch, I don't want your 450 calorie bag of crisps or the little orange juice either. No, it doesn't matter that it's only Xdhs extra, I just don't want it, **** off.

The world is either going to change and people are going to be mixed - with working sometimes in and sometimes at home OR we're going to do it for a while, hand back loads of commercial space and then eventually big businesses are going to run around like crazy trying to find more office space middle of next year when they realise a vaccine works etc.

We've just been politely told to do 3 days. The previous WFH policy was 1 day a month and agreed in advance.

co durham boy

You'll be jam packed back to graft be end of Jan .

scrubbedexpat141

I'm flat out as it is, Saudi's keeping me really busy and a few things in Abu Dhabi.

I'm just enjoying the lack of travel, I'd have been in Saudi a couple of days a week if the world wasn't trying to end.

Millhouse

Roll on the vax!

co durham boy

It'll all be over bar the shouting come March mate . The virtue signaling bedwetters in The Marina banging their pots & pans will be a far flung distant memory.

scrubbedexpat141

Told the business I'll never do 5 days a week in the office again and I'm never wearing a suit to sit in the office all day either.

Millhouse

Any by mid next year they will tell you it's the policy, or you can fuc k off.

co durham boy

I doubt most of us will be around by then chief .

scrubbedexpat141

Yeah, the lead for the region is a real office-dweller. Blows.

That being said, I'm happy to keep doing what I want. Just bought a new desk chair for working at home and it's too lovely to not be sat on. Not every day though, I like getting my scooter into the office and going for coffees and generally just farting around.

Banking every penny and keeping people happy until I make a year so there's some gratuity and flight money.

weasel decentral

Who wears a suit to work these days?