Different people require different levels of social interaction. I'm one of those people who require less than the average. Once I had the opportunity to work from home I spent quite a bit more time socializing outside of work than before - not because I had insufficient socialization now, but because I had more energy to put into cultivating those freindships I cared about. Working from an office I was constantly burnt out entertaining my co-workers who required more socialization than I did, and couldn't make time for the friends of my choice.
I see 'mandatory back to the office' talk as a demand by extraverts that their introverted co-workers subsidize their need for social interaction, and I feel resentment at the imposition on my limited social energy. To support a position touting the benefits of workplace socialization I'd need to see it presented with an attitude of 'the option of meeting your co-workers face to face is a costly perk I hope many employers will continue to offer', not an entitlement to my friendship.
I see 'mandatory back to the office' talk as a demand by extraverts that their introverted co-workers subsidize their need for social interaction, and I feel resentment at the imposition on my limited social energy. To support a position touting the benefits of workplace socialization I'd need to see it presented with an attitude of 'the option of meeting your co-workers face to face is a costly perk I hope many employers will continue to offer', not an entitlement to my friendship.