Industry News: Companies Think Remote Work Isn’t So Great After All

Four months into corporate America’s working-from-home experiment, some cracks are emerging.

Projects take longer. Collaboration is harder. And training new workers is a struggle.

While employees say they’ve proved they can do their jobs effectively from home, many CEOs don’t want to stay remote long-term, once the pandemic passes. 

The current discomfort felt by many is a result of 3 things: 

1. Many organizations are being forced to work remotely and did not have the opportunity to fully integrate remote work into their culture. Successful remote-first companies have this down to a science.

2. This is part two of a normal cycle after the initial excitement phase. After working onsite for several years and being forced to accept a massive paradigm shift, is it reasonable to expect a full adjustment after 4 months? Who can fully adjust to any new work environment in such a short amount of time?

3. Everyone is under more pressure, but parents with young children are experiencing acute levels of pressure that is mentally/physically draining.

The Benefits of Working from the Office

The five major advantages for employers and employees of working from the office.

1) Networking Opportunities

When you’re working in the office, it’s much easier for your manager and company executives to see your true potential — your productivity, dedication, and thoughtfulness will be front and center. Socializing with higher-ups provides the opportunity to showcase your leadership skills and build meaningful connections with successful players in your field. This in-office interaction time is especially beneficial when it comes time for managers to make promotions and give bonuses.

2) Elevated Company Culture

When you spend valuable time with your co-workers, that social foundation makes it easier to voice your ideas — and maybe more importantly, your dissent. It is harder to form genuine relationships with co-workers over the phone, and as an adult, the office can be the primary place for people to form friendships.

3) More Creative Content

Many professional roles require a high degree of collaboration and open discourse. Having a physical presence in the office encourages quick and spontaneous idea sharing (and eliminates frustrating miscommunication). The creative content that emerges from this off-the-cuff exchange of ideas is often what distinguishes a brand from its competitors.

4) Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

When you physically work alongside your coworkers, it is easier to step in and offer a helping hand to resolve issues that your team members are struggling with (and vice versa!). It is much more challenging to keep tabs on your team’s progress — or lack thereof — without the physical proximity that an office affords.

5) Work-Life Balance

Though working at home sounds like a luxury, it can actually do more harm than good to your work-life balance. Your home should never become a place of stress, but rather a source of rest, relaxation, and family-building. When the line between work and home becomes blurry, it can become more difficult to leave the frustrations of your work life behind you at 5pm. Likewise, the distractions of daily life can become harder to ignore when you’re confronted with them throughout your workday (cue crying babies, noisy roommates, and your favorite midday TV show).