What the Brightsun Team Miss about Working in the Office

We at Brightsun Travel are currently operating from home and remote locations; here’s a little insight into what we miss about being in the office.

Working from home at first seems blissful, as you get to relieve yourself of that awful commute and have easy access to all of your food. However, we at Brightsun have found ourselves missing the office life and environment. Here’s what some of our staff members miss the most…

Deepak Nangla, Brightsun Travel Managing Director

‘My mind is bored. I am trying to create work, and there is none to create, I am trying to plan and I don’t know where to start as I don’t know what the travel industry (of the world) will look like after this is over.

I miss telling people what to do, and then other people telling me how I should do it. I miss the teamwork that drives an organisation, and I miss the competitiveness and the daily challenges.

I miss talking to people, solving their problems – I miss creating problems for my teams. Most of all I miss how we all in our mysterious way make this organisation run like fine tune clogs in a watch each doing their little bit to keep the perfect time. And we do it well.

After this is over – we will have reset the watch and start learning how to fine tune once again.’

Brightsun UK Staff Members:

‘I miss having company whilst getting on with my daily tasks. It’s peaceful here at home, but sometimes a little too quiet. I miss the chats, jokes, laughs, relatable conversations and daily brainstorms with my team and other staff members. I miss the structure and routine of the office environment which boosted my productivity and concentration. I miss the unique Brightsun culture, sticking my headphones in on my commute and watching the world go by from the bus window, the morning coffee whilst going through emails, the ‘anyone got any chocolate’ afternoons and the handy shops within easy reach.’

‘What do I miss the most about working in the office…. Firstly it’s my morning commute. A brisk walk to West Harrow station listening to my morning playlist before catching up with my favourite boxsets on Netflix on the train. I also miss the morning catch ups with my team, over a cup of coffee discussing the plans and objectives for the day. And most importantly, I miss ordering lunch from my favourite Lebanese restaurant on Hounslow High Street. I’m really craving a shish Tawook wrap.’

‘What I miss about working in the office is the vibrant atmosphere and having my colleagues physically there to discuss work with. I miss having daily catch-ups with my team and the occasional banter in between. I also miss being able to walk around the high street during my lunch break to get some fresh air.’

‘I miss customers’ expectations, agents’ imagination, colleagues’ sign posts, morning teas, afternoon lunch (especially vada pau & tea from the Shree Krishna Centre), the hustling and bustling high street, Kevin’s slow speaking, Roshan’s  fast speaking, the giggles in between, lively arguments and small jokes, but above all helping hands which I miss the most. We probably work more at home than the office but it’s lonely… There’s no inspiration, work addicts, zero knowledge increment & nothing to share.’

‘I pace hurriedly as I make my way to work. The door opens, and here comes a wave of greetings and happy smiles - this is how we usually start our day at work. Before we begin, there is brief banter within our team, and always ends with a joke by Mr. N! Now, we are off to work and complete tasks on our to-do lists. The air is filled with constant clicking and ringing sounds as the team responds to e-mails and answers phone calls. The time is almost midday, we look at each other and giggle when we hear groaning tummies - time for a coffee break! The day goes on with more work to do, but what I miss the most about coming to work is the positive and friendly energy I get from my team, and how it makes work all the more fun. Having worked from home during the lockdown, I really miss the social element of working in the office, the conversations we have about work and other issues, and just having your team present beside you. Nevertheless, we work as a cohesive unit and work even stronger as a team during this time. This the very essence of what Brightsun stands for.’

‘By far I value the social aspect of office work over everything. What I miss most about working from the office is morning chats with my colleagues; it sets the tone for the rest of the day. A morning coffee and a chat about anything at all, whether its work, current news and politics, or even what we had for dinner the night before can all make for a positive start to the day. Further to that the social aspect of the office is what I find most beneficial to work, as we can all try to help each other and keep spirits high.’