This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jitender Jain, 40, a software engineer and father of two daughters in Dallas. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Last year, when I worked at Walmart Global Tech, the company suddenly announced it was closing its Dallas office. I was told I'd have to relocate to another state and return to the office full time.
I wasn't ready to transition from working from home to moving to a new state and going to the office daily, so I took severance from Walmart and transitioned to a hybrid role as a principal software engineer as a contractor at JPMorgan Chase. A colleague referred me for the position, and after multiple rounds of interviews, I accepted the offer.
Around the same time, my wife's team was called back to the office three days a week and was reduced from nine to just three engineers, tripling her workload. Life throws curveballs, but after navigating COVID-19, we felt equipped to handle the transition together.
With some thoughtful planning around childcare, we were able to manage, though there were challenges, and we're still getting used to it.
I work three days in the office and two from home
Two days are fixed team days we agreed on together, and the third is flexible. I go to the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Many JPMorgan employees have been called back to the office five days a week. My commute is only about 15-20 minutes each way, which is manageable.
I know others have it harder. There are people who bought homes farther away during the pandemic because of cost or space. I remember leadership saying early on, "We won't be remote forever," and I took that seriously.
Truth be told, working from home during COVID-19 and even after wasn't exactly enjoyable
When we were all remote, my wife and I would sometimes both have meetings at the same time, so we'd each have to close our doors and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, our daughters, 8 and 13, would be playing outside the rooms, and that play would eventually turn into a quarrel over the same toy or game. That's when I'd have to jump in and help. I would rather be at the office.
We send the kids to school and then to aftercare. In the summer, they attended day camps. My wife and I coordinate pickup and drop-off.
I learned to share household responsibilities during the pandemic
I started doing things like cooking and doing the dishes. To be honest, I was forced into it at first, but over time, I've gotten used to it so that now, when a child is sick or has an appointment, my wife and I trade off based on our schedules. It's helping everyone — not just my wife but the whole family — because we're all happier when she gets more time to follow her passions.
When we were all at home, most of the work and meals happened in the house, so there were a lot more chores. Now that we're out during the day, we all eat lunch outside, so there's much less to do at home. We're more relaxed, we eat dinner as a family, and the kids fight less often.
There's a lot of flexibility at my company
It's no problem if someone needs to shift a meeting, take a kid to the doctor, or attend remotely.
I got used to sitting in the comfort of my home with my family, but in-person work gives us an edge. You build stronger connections, solve problems faster, and create better solutions. Newer employees, especially, benefit from in-person support and mentorship. That's part of my responsibility, too.
Working on-site also contributes to the bigger picture: If I go to the office, I generate revenue. Vacant buildings are rented again. They employ security guards. I spend money at restaurants and other local businesses. I try to think beyond just what's convenient for me. I trust the company has a better view of the big picture than I do.
Eventually, we will be called back into the office five days a week. It will return to the way it was pre-COVID-19, and it may be a challenge at first, but we'll adapt.
Clarification: September 12, 2025 — This story has been updated to reflect that Jain's work for JPMorgan Chase is through his employment at Cognizant Technology Solutions, a third-party contractor, where he is a software engineer lead.
