A Reddit user has sparked an online discussion after revealing how a workplace policy unexpectedly pushed them to transform their tiny apartment into a make-shift café set to appear more “presentable” on video calls.
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The user said their company recently reinstated a rule requiring employees to stay on camera during most virtual meetings, eliminating options like turning cameras off for privacy or comfort. With limited space at home, they felt self-conscious about their background and began improvising.
Co-workers Mistake Living Room for a Coffee Shop
According to the post, the user initially tried virtual backgrounds but found them unrealistic. That’s when they began experimenting with small visual adjustments around the workspace. “I put a cheap yellow lamp behind my monitor, stacked some random books to the side, moved a plant from the kitchen, and dragged an old coffee grinder I never use onto the shelf,” they wrote. The unexpected outcome was that the new setup resembled the ambience of a cozy café.
Coworkers soon began asking if they were working from an actual coffee shop, and one even joked that their “background vibes” made meetings more tolerable.
Turning Remote Work Into a ‘Persona’
Receiving playful encouragement from colleagues, the user decided to push the idea further. They added a chalkboard with fake drink specials and used a moka pot to signal when meetings ended. What started as a visual workaround gradually turned into a personal work ritual.
In their own words, “I focus better, I am less grumpy, and my tiny flat suddenly feels like a place I chose, not just got stuck in.” The post ends with the user asking others if they too have created a persona or themed remote-work setup, jokingly referring to the possibility of “coping too hard.”
The post has received widespread engagement on Reddit, with hundreds of remote workers sharing their own unique setups — from “library-style backgrounds” to “fake airport lounges” — suggesting that creative self-expression and environmental comfort have become an unexpectedly important part of the post-pandemic work culture.
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