Working Remotely was supposed to be the future. Employees have left Silicon Valley, New York and other metropolitan areas in search of a better lifestyle based on the certainty that working remotely was here to stay.
Think Again! There is pushback against working remotely … and it is growing.
Google is the latest company to end the remote working dream. Google has announced that many employees are expected to return to the office in April. The company is accelerating office re-openings. It is also putting limits on future remote work
Financial services are also among companies that will be curbing work from home. Regulatory issues are at play. Cyber security is another concern.
Getting immediate action by walking across the hall to talk to a co-worker has been reinforced as the epitome of efficiency. Not email. Not Zoom. Not having a call cancelled because something came up at home.
At some level in every organization there is the need for face-to-face contact on a daily basis. This means working together in an office. It may be the executive suite of a company in a rapidly changing sector. It may be a creative group that thrives on synergy. There is a limit on the effectiveness of work from home.
There is also Zoom fatigue and the drawbacks of the “Hollywood Squares” lack of personal interaction.
One issue that is not being talked about, is the inherent advantages of working in an office, close to the centers of power and the movers-and-shakers. Technology may enhance efficiency but many doubt that it will completely replace those with valued social skills.
We’ve seen how technology has enhanced work from home, working remotely. We’ll soon discover the downside of being out of the office while your competition is making a name for themselves with in-office personal interaction.