The End of Remote Working

The End of Remote Working

You heard that right, it’s the end of remote working. I say this because the signs are all there…

At least read this and understand the points and then form a judgement if you instantly disagreed. I implore you to.

My experience.

Remote working was possible pre-pandemic. Even I spent a year between mid-2018 and mid- 2019 working remotely. Contrasting to the general consensus of remote working being better than being dragged into the office, I hated remote working. I actually despised it.

I spent all day looking at the same four walls with nobody to speak to. Half the time I ended up talking to myself which is nuts! I could not wait to open an office and have some conversation, banter and team chemistry.

That’s just me, and I know I’m in the minority. So, I bare no malice against any pro-remote working people, I get it.

During and post-pandemic, remote working became commonplace. People are now accustomed to it as the norm. And most people love it.

What’s changing?

My experience has zero to do with the recent news that companies are asking people to return to the office. Understandably people who love and have become accustomed to remote working are irritated by this.

Their way of life, work life balance, freedoms, convenience and happiness are all at risk if they are forced to return to the office.

Why are people being forced back to the office?

Realistically, productivity IS affected by remote working.

I know there are tons of studies online showing that people are more, or at least equal in productiveness when working from home. But just how logical is this?

The logic staring us in the face.

If you are a company and have huge offices with hundreds of staff, it will cost you astronomical amounts of money to pay the rent, upkeep, bills, maintenance, utilities, resources, facilities, and day to day operations of a huge office complex.

You save almost all that money if your staff worked remotely. If it is true, that productivity is at least better when people work remotely, why would companies ask people to come back to the office? Essentially it would make no financial sense to do that.

Unless those online stats about productivity being better or equal are not holding up. Think about it, why would a company ask workers to return to the office unless productivity was affected by remote working. That despite the huge office costs, the company would be better off with everyone in the office.

It’s the only logical conclusion I can come to as to why companies are asking people back to the office.

Remote working of course will not end fully, but unless you are equal to or more productive than your office equivalent then you will find yourself back in the office.

Companies need to make money. Employee vs employer power is in process of realigning itself. That’s what to expect instead of a fully remote workforce.