- What’s with the backlash against remote work?
- Supporters claim working in an office offers multiple benefits
- So, is working in the office truly better than remote work?
- Let’s see how remote work stacks up against the above “pros” of working in an office
- Working in an office is better than remote work for collaboration and teamwork
- Employees have better accountability in an office compared to working remotely
- Workers in the office are more focused than remote workers
- An office provides a better work environment and access to tech support than remote work
- What are the other advantages of remote work?
- Remote work may not always be a viable option
- In-office work vs. remote work—what’s the verdict?
Several weeks ago, I saw a post on the topic of remote work on my LinkedIn feed. The author of the post was lamenting the perception that all remote workers are lazy. He went on to say that asking “…employees to go back into the office full-time just seems wild in 2024.”
I agree—1,000%. In fact, I commented on the post that it seems we’ve forgotten all the lessons we learned during the pandemic. We proved that remote work is possible. It’s not just a means of getting by—we can do it successfully.
If we proved the “impossible” a few years ago, why has remote work fallen out of favor?
What’s with the backlash against remote work?
Many companies are mandating a return to the office. Some have ordered a complete return to in-person work. Others require a minimum of 3 days/week or more on-site. According to ChatGPT, ten such companies are:
- Amazon
- Disney
- Activision Blizzard
- Grindr
- Meta
- IBM
- Tesla
- JPMorgan Chase
- Goldman Sachs
- ExxonMobil
Most of these companies state similar reasons for this mandate. The most often-cited reasons for working in an office are that it
- Leads to better collaboration and teamwork.
- Improves accountability and focus.
- Provides employers with more control over the work environment.
Supporters claim working in an office offers multiple benefits
Proponents of the back-to-the-office movement claim humans work better in face-to-face environments. They believe working in an office leads to more spontaneous and creative discussions. Tangentially, they also think it helps build a stronger company culture. This extends to a sense of belonging and shared identity. There are opportunities for social interactions with coworkers, like lunches, office events, or after-work drinks.
Another reason proponents often cite is that office workers are more focused and accountable. If you’re in an environment where coworkers and supervisors can see you, you’re more likely to be focused and less distracted. It reinforces clearer boundaries between your work and personal life. Going to the office at a regular time can also provide a sense of routine and consistency. Walking through the office doors helps you adopt an “it’s time to work” now mentality.
Another supporting argument is that an office provides control over the work environment. Those in charge determine the office layout. They may ensure facilities for individual/group work or ergonomic office furniture. In addition, an office setting will provide technology that employees use. If your company has an in-house IT department, it’ll be easier to troubleshoot tech issues. This will reduce downtime and boost productivity.
So, is working in the office truly better than remote work?
Not everyone accepts these arguments. Several companies are embracing completely remote or at least hybrid/flexible working arrangements. Again, ChatGPT gave me the following list of ten such companies:
- Microsoft
- Spotify
- Salesforce
- Shopify
- Dropbox
- Slack
- HubSpot
- Adobe
The first thing that jumped out at me about this list is that they are all basically tech companies. I wasn’t surprised to see Spotify on the list. I recently read an article about why Spotify is embracing remote work.
The gist? Employees aren’t children. I couldn’t agree more with that sentiment. If you hire the right people for the job, they’ll produce quality work for you. This happens regardless of whether they’re in the office or at home. Can you honestly say you’ve never had a lazy coworker in your office? If you believe remote workers are lazy, you’re hiring the wrong people. They’d be just as lazy if you forced them into the office.
Let’s see how remote work stacks up against the above “pros” of working in an office
Working in an office is better than remote work for collaboration and teamwork
At one point, my team consisted of ten people, the majority of whom were remote. We were spread across five countries and time zones. But we thrived and had no problem collaborating. Video calls, shared documents, and productivity tools ensured our work rate never suffered from our geographic diversity.
Our secret? Despite 60% of the team being remote workers, we were all online during “regular business hours” for our office. This condition was made clear during the hiring process. For some of us, that meant getting up earlier than we would’ve liked. For others, it meant working through the dead of night. But we knew these conditions when we were hired.
This ensured that messages were answered quickly. It was always possible to jump on a quick video call at a moment’s notice. We were also very supportive of each other. If one team member had to pitch in to help another who was swamped with work, people were more than willing to help. We were the definition of teamwork. Even with our smaller team, we still are.
Some people seem to misrepresent remote work as freelance work. Freelancers may have a little more freedom to work the hours they want, but remote work doesn’t have to be that way.
Employees have better accountability in an office compared to working remotely
While I’ve heard of companies that require remote workers to have a webcam on at all times, that is not my experience. One of the replies to the LinkedIn post above discussed such an arrangement. Applicants were warned someone would review the webcam footage. That seems like an incredible waste of time, as well as a waste of money having to pay someone to do that.
As a remote worker, I have a tracking program on my computer that takes a random screenshot six times an hour. The time period between screenshots can range from a couple of minutes to up to 20 minutes. This tracker also tracks my keyboard and mouse activity.
I’m not a robot. I don’t work at 100% capacity for 8 hours each day. I take bathroom breaks, bring in packages that get delivered, and refill my coffee. Sometimes, I just need a few minutes to think about something without typing or clicking my mouse.
I don’t want to have to explain why I wasn’t in my chair every time I get up. But I have no problem with the tracker software. The time between screenshots is random, so I never know when it’ll go off. This randomness means I’m not tempted to do non-work stuff. I have the option to delete a screenshot, but I’ll also lose credit for 10 minutes of work.
As I said before, hire good people, and they’ll do good work—no matter where they are. My employer can review my daily screenshots, but I’m sure she doesn’t have time for that. Perhaps if I regularly missed deadlines and didn’t complete my work, she might. But that’s not the case.
Workers in the office are more focused than remote workers
Really? People walking by, dropping by your desk, water cooler chats, and long lunches don’t scream focus to me. Everyone I’ve spoken to, current coworkers and friends, feels they are much more productive working from home.
With the right remote work setup, you can eliminate almost all distractions. Offices, especially open offices, are full of distractions and interruptions. I have a small office in my home, and I’m focused when working. If I need to focus further, I can set my status to “Focus work” to minimize distractions and really power through some tasks.
An office provides a better work environment and access to tech support than remote work
Often, full-time employees are provided with a work computer. The graphic designer on our team has a workstation that can only be described as a command console. He wouldn’t be able to work nearly as effectively if he were forced into the office. I’m sure most offices wouldn’t splurge for the multiple types of monitors he requires for different tasks. He couldn’t do what he does on a company-issued laptop.
I use my own computer. Though I work from a laptop, I have a wired internet connection for stability and a second monitor. I have occasional sound issues on video calls (as does my entire team/organization). Otherwise, I don’t have any issues accessing the tools I need to work effectively. I have an instance of my browser for work that has all my work bookmarks and extensions I need. Like everyone else in our organization, I must submit a ticket to our global IT team for tech issues. Being in the office wouldn’t give me an advantage with IT problems.
What are the other advantages of remote work?
A true freelancer may have more flexibility. As a remote worker, I work an 8-hour shift during regular office hours five days/week. Yet remote workers often report a better work-life balance. Though I have to start work earlier than I’d like, I don’t have a daily commute.
I’ve commuted using the Seoul public transportation system during morning rush hour. Doing that regularly would be much more damaging to my mental state than remote work ever could. Not having to commute to work means I’m never late (I’ve only got to climb two flights of stairs with a cup of coffee in hand).
Working from home saves me (and my employer) money. They don’t have to provide me with a laptop. I’m not ashamed to say I work in a T-shirt and shorts daily. I’ve always hated having to dress up for work. I have no problem saving money on not having to buy work attire.
Employers can pay rent on a smaller office if they have a combination of hybrid and remote workers. Some remote workers may still elect to go to the office on occasion. Hybrid working arrangements mean employees will rarely all be in the office at the same time. This also results in other savings, such as lower electricity costs and less maintenance. Not having to commute and requiring fewer resources helps create a smaller carbon footprint.
Hiring remote workers significantly increases your talent pool. Limiting potential hires to a certain geographic area dramatically limits your options. Not everyone will be open to working awkward hours. But my team consisted of some very talented people who we may not have been able to hire if we’d relied on local talent.
Remote work may not always be a viable option
Reviewing the arguments, in most cases, I see no reason to mandate that people come to the office five days a week. The only reason for doing so is “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” The pandemic showed us that we can be innovative when we are pushed. Past ways of working aren’t always the best.
Granted, remote work isn’t always possible. There are countless jobs that require you to be there in person. This is mainly because they rely on physical tasks and tools. ChatGPT gave me the following list of ten such jobs:
- Healthcare workers (e.g., doctors, nurses)
- Manufacturing jobs (e.g., assembly line workers)
- Construction workers
- Retail employees
- Food service workers (e.g., chefs, waitstaff)
- Law enforcement and emergency responders
- Logistics and delivery personnel
- Laboratory technicians
- Hospitality staff (e.g., hotel workers)
- Maintenance and repair technicians
I’ll add one more to this list. When the pandemic started, I was teaching university language classes remotely. While it was technically possible (I used breakout rooms to facilitate pair and group work), I didn’t enjoy it. I also don’t think it was the best experience for my students.
I believe language teaching, especially with large classes, is more effective in person. Teaching one-on-one or small groups online can work. But I was a much more effective language teacher in the classroom, especially with upwards of 40 students/class. Similarly, in-person early childhood, elementary, and middle school teaching is likely more effective. I don’t think many children learn best sitting in front of a screen.
When I did my master’s degree, I opted for an in-person course over an online course. I felt I’d learn better in that environment. But I’ve also done several online courses since then. With the right content and approach, there are lots of education settings that can work.
In-office work vs. remote work—what’s the verdict?
As mentioned, I think the main driver behind the return to the office is familiarity. It’s the way it’s always been. The pandemic was a “blip.” Now that it’s behind us, it’s time to return to “normal.”
There are countless examples of jobs that can’t be done remotely. But most typical office jobs can be done with remote workers or hybrid work arrangements. It may require a shift in thinking, but the pros outweigh the cons. A broader talent pool, reduced costs, and happier employees all make remote work the clear winner when it’s an option.
If some employees prefer coming to the office, they should have that option. But workers who wish to work remotely should have that option, mainly when they can show they’re just as, if not more, productive.
Do you prefer remote work or being in the office every day? Would you pass on a job if remote work or a hybrid work arrangement weren’t an option? Let me know in the comments!
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