Remote work is not a substitute of in-person work, but not for the reasons we’d think.
- We think we lose control, but we actually lose context – we can still track deliverables, but cant replicate water-cooler conversations
- We think we lose inspiration, but we actually lose learning – we get inspired by people we’ve never met all the time, but we miss moments to pause, reflect and iterate
- We think we lose collaboration, but we actually lose connection – tech companies have collaborated across countries always, but we miss the moments to bond or gossip.
Context drives purpose, learning drives mastery, connection drives engagement. That’s what we’re missing when we work from home.
BUT, working from home drives productivity and autonomy, so mandating a 100% work from office would be solving the wrong problem. We need to find better ways to lead with context and find more spaces to pause and reflect. And the connection we lose? For that, just meet people over a drink!