And just as it came, unexpectedly, it left.
They promised it would last forever, but they lied to us.
We’re talking about remote work.
Before 2020, working from home was reserved for a lucky elite, those with skills rare and valuable enough to twist anyone’s arm in negotiations.
Either that or for super cool start-ups that couldn’t compete for talent any other way.
Then the pandemic hit. The survival instinct kicked in. There was no other choice. It was adapt or die, as they say.
In the blink of an eye, we experienced one of the most disruptive shifts in how we work since the arrival of the internet.
And like every old good revolution—forced or not—it left no one indifferent.
To oversimplify, there are two camps in this: those who love remote work, and those who hate it. And, of course, some fall somewhere in between.
Let’s start with those who love it.
The main perks are obvious. First, flexibility. The ability to work from anywhere saves a ton of commuting time. That time can be put to “better use,” which leads to a better quality of life for employees.
On top of that, in places like major urban hubs, where most companies are based, real estate prices are sky-high. Rent or mortgage payments can eat up a big chunk of your salary. If you can work from outside the city, those costs go down, and you can live closer to nature, which for many, is a huge plus.
Productivity: many people feel that they are more productive working from home, avoiding the constant interruptions that occur in the office. Interestingly, productivity never seems to be the main battleground between the two sides.
From a business perspective, not needing a physical office is a big savings on the balance sheet. Of course, you’ll have to factor in the costs of remote technology and infrastructure.
We can say that Spotify is the flag-bearer for this camp, having recently declared that its employees aren’t children and don’t need to have remote work taken away from them.
Remote work haters argue that certain synergies can only be created in a non-virtual environment—things like camaraderie, team spirit, and those shared “eureka” moments.
They believe physical distance negatively impacts corporate culture, which is so hard to build, especially for new hires. And let’s not forget the better control mechanisms—being in person means you can’t hide behind a virtual avatar.
Amazon recently announced that by 2025, all its employees must return to the office, five days a week, no exceptions.
Both sides have valid points, and here’s our take.
When the pandemic hit, many companies swore up and down that remote work was here to stay. No doubt, some people switched jobs with that in mind. Maybe they’ve since moved out of the city, and returning to the office would now be a real hassle.
But more than anything, it’s a matter of trust—with a capital “T.” If you promise something, weexpect you to keep it. Sure, circumstances change, but the promise was crystal clear.
Luckily, in places like Spain, if this was part of your contract—and not always the case—it counts as a significant change in work conditions, giving you the right to compensation if you get laid off. But in the U.S., no such luck, leaving people in a tricky spot.
But trust goes even deeper. If you need to see people in front of you to know they’re working, something’s wrong. Every industry is different, of course, but the goal shouldn’t be hours worked, it should be results, with clear KPIs to measure performance. There are, and should be, control mechanisms that work in the online world.
Looked at another way, it’s actually an opportunity for companies—if people are tempted to cheat daily, it’ll quickly show who’s really pulling their weight.
But the big problem here comes down to exceptions. Some employees are so valuable that they’ll get more freedom to work remotely. And that’s a real blow to corporate culture. Why can you do it and I can’t? In some cases, it’s obvious. In others, not so much. It’s the kind of thing that can slowly poison an organization.
There are some ways to make up for the loss of company culture, like offsites, for example.
At NBS IT Recruitment, we’re on the front lines, and we see the daily struggle to find and attract top talent. We believe that companies that are more flexible and transparent will win the battle. Forcing people to go back to the office 100% is shooting yourself in the foot.
Although maybe what they’re really after is to downsize without firing anyone, hoping you’ll leave on your own.
Time will tell how this great social experiment we’re all part of will turn out.