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There are a few terms you could use to describe life over the past few years.
Rona. Iso. Social distancing. Doomscrolling … and if you worked from home during the pandemic, there's a pretty good chance Zoom is on your bingo list too.
But the company, which etched itself into the global consciousness when COVID-19 plunged cities into lockdown, has confirmed it is now ordering its staff to return to the office.
It's the latest push by a major company to scale back work-from-home policies as employers grapple with the future of remote working.
What is Zoom?
Zoom is a videoconferencing platform that was relatively unknown before COVID-19 struck.
But as lockdowns left people looking for a lifeline to keep in touch with family and friends, and swathes of companies moved their core functions online, the company saw a massive spike in popularity (including a 326 per cent increase in revenue in the first 12 months of the pandemic).
In fact, the platform became so popular that it sparked phrases like "zoom fatigue" (the psychological cost of endless video meetings), and "zoom bombing" (where uninvited users share inappropriate content).
But what comes up must come down, and earlier this year the company was forced to cut its workforce by about 15 per cent as pandemic-driven demand waned.
"The uncertainty of the global economy, and its effect on our customers, means we need to take a hard — yet important — look inward to reset ourselves so we can weather the economic environment, deliver for our customers and achieve Zoom's long-term vision," CEO Eric Yuan said at the time.
What changes are Zoom making?
Zoom is asking all employees within 80 kilometres of the office to return at least two days a week.
The company has two offices in the United States and a number of international sites, reportedly employing more than 8,000 people worldwide.
In a statement to Business Insider, which first reported the announcement, a Zoom spokesperson said a "structured hybrid approach" was the most effective option for the company.
"We'll continue to leverage the entire Zoom platform to keep our employees and dispersed teams connected and working efficiently," the spokesperson said.
In a survey undertaken by the company last year, about 38 per cent of respondents said working full time from the office would be their ideal choice, while about 28 per cent said they would prefer to work remotely full time.
Which other companies are asking staff to return?
Zoom is the latest company to push back against remote working, as employers navigate a post-pandemic future.
In recent months, Google has ordered staff to return to the office three days a week, offering free food and other perks (including hotel discounts) in a bid to lure them back.
Salesforce has enacted similar policies (even offering to make donations to charity if staff return), while Amazon has also asked staff to appear in-person three days a week.
"It's easier to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture when we're in the office together most of the time and surrounded by our colleagues," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wrote earlier this year.