9 things City lawyers miss about the office — as told by The Office GIFs

With help from Michael Scott and the gang

What’s not to enjoy about working from home during the pandemic?

Better work-life balance, increased productivity and no more soul-sucking commute. Out with the old office and in with the New Normal, am I right?

Perhaps not. The absence of an office has left many home-working lawyers reminiscing about the simple things they once took for granted.

To those out of the loop, allow us to bring you up to speed. Here are 9 things City lawyers miss about the office, as told by GIFs from the iconic mockumentary, The Office (sorry Ricky Gervais fans, but the US remake is better).

1. Ergonomic office chairs

A moment of silence for your posture.

2. A decent cup of coffee

Getting your morning caffeine-fix from an instant cup of gruesome granules just isn’t the same.

3. A decent desk

Face it, your standing desk back at the office gives your home set-up an inferiority complex.

4. More space to actually work

Day 324320 working from the cupboard under your stairs.

5. City views

The Shard > your neglected garden.

6. Asking your colleagues questions face-to-face

There’s no such thing as a quick and easy question over email.

7. In-person peer support

When the pressure gets too much, nothing beats an actual (and not virtual) shoulder to cry on.

8. Office bantaaa

Remember a time when bants wasn’t just putting ‘lol’ at the end of every sentence on Microsoft Teams? So nostalgic.

9. Team socials

From your team lunches to your afterwork drinks, letting lose with your corporate comrades is one office perk that no Zoom quiz can match. Please keep the Christmas party in your prayers.