In the new Shopee (Singapore) building, my desk is located on the 4th floor. I usually entered the building from the 1st floor (there is another entrance on the 3rd floor).

After I enter the building, it is still the public area, I have two choices of going to the staff-only area: through the gantry gates on the 1st floor, or through the 3rd floor. Going to the 3rd floor on the public area requires taking two flights of escalators.

If I enter the staff-only area from the 1st floor gantry gate, I will take the elevator (lift) to the 4th floor; but if I enter from the 3rd floor gantry gate, I will take the stairs to my floor (since the difference is only by a single floor).

On a normal day, I will always take the escalators to the 3rd floor, enter the staff-only area, and then take the stairs to my floor.

I have a theory on why I prefer this, and I think, it is the classic “loading screen experience” happening in real life.

Waiting for elevator to arrive is just like a progress bar that stopped progressing for unknown period of time (and users don’t know when it will continue to progress). On the other hand, riding escalators and taking stairs give the users a sense of physical progress and therefore a more pleasant experience.

While it may take longer to reach my floor, I don’t need to wait for something out of my control to happen, and that’s a better experience rather than waiting for uncontrollable elevator to arrive.

That’s why I prefer taking escalators and stairs rather than elevators. Unless I’m peer-pressured by my colleagues. 😅