Work remote? Hybrid? Return to office? Where I stand on all of that (for now)
Does mandating an office return encourage better productivity?
Countless articles, I feel, are ghostwritten by corporate real estate landlords and middle managers who don't know how to prove value without looking over someone's shoulder.
Is remote work the way of the future? Is it backward to do anything else?
I love the flexibility of remote work - but only some things translate well over an email or even a Zoom call. A healthy remote culture takes a lot of intentionality. It's not for everyone?
Should companies be hybrid?
I'm a fan of moderation and shooting down the middle. Trying to have the best of both worlds can also present its own set of challenges.
So what's better?
It depends. There's no clear winner. There is no best way. It's what is best for you, your company, your work style, and your longer-term strategy.
My current situation
I'm almost hybrid but primarily remote. I have my own office in our Atlantic Station location but rarely come in. Most of my team is distributed, all of my direct reports live in different cities, and our offices are tucked away in a corner away from most people. My collaboration ability has minimal improvement based on my physical location.
That said, our firm is relocating to a new space next month. I'm losing my space due to my lack of use the last few years (fair enough), but I will be in a hot desking-type situation that will put me in a better position for collaboration. Oddly enough, losing my office space to our new setup may make me want to come in more often.
What I love about remote work
My love for remote work right now is really specific to me and my family's situation and wouldn't necessarily apply to everyone.
We live a very short drive from the kids' school, so I have the flexibility to take them to school and come home and still have time to get a workout in before the workday begins. I can start a run or go to an 8 am workout class and still be done and ready for the workday.
Our proximity to the kids' school also allows us the flexibility to pop over easily to have lunch with them, volunteer for a school function, or have a parent/teacher meeting without the need to bake in a lot of extra time driving to and from. If I tried to do the same from my office, I'd either have less time to engage at my kids' school or, the times I did go; it'd eat up most of my day going from place to place.
We live near a lot of restaurants and a park. I can walk to several lunch spots. There are even a few pet-friendly patios I can walk our dog to and have lunch on the patio while using their wifi to knock a few things out. Again, not having to drive 1-2 hours daily gives me the flexibility to do all that while still getting more done. I can even use my lunch break to mow the yard in the summer, which significantly frees my weekend.
Working remotely has often allowed me to build a work-life integration that I did not have during my first ten years of work. The stress of fighting Atlanta rush hour traffic to get to daycare pickup before the penalty fees start kicking in still gives me PTSD.
What I like about working in the office
Again, I come to the office occasionally and have people I work with a lot who are also based in Atlanta. I'm an introvert but do like seeing and talking to people. There's something about catching up in person that can't be replicated in a video chat or instant message.
It's also saved me a lot of time. Another of our marketing directors and I almost always have an impromptu collaboration session on a campaign or other project that lasts 15-20 minutes but likely saves us days of emails and potential communication gaps we would've faced otherwise.
When we have other in-person planning sessions with folks from different offices, something about it brings new energy into your work. It may sound terrible, but working with someone face-to-face humanizes them. That experience reminds you that you're working with a person, not an email address.
Where I Ultimately Stand
I'm a fan of the hybrid situation. Again, that speaks only to what works best for my work style and my family's current needs. I'm in a life stage where being closer to home and more accessible should be a priority.
That said, if I were ten years younger and early in my career, being in the office more would be something I'd value. The commute would still be a bummer but not create the ripple effects of stress one would now because I'd have fewer people depending on me. It'd be that stage where you're still growing your social network and learning how to work with people. That's more work to do remotely.
A hybrid setup does present challenges like "how many days a week should we require?" or "Which days of the week do we mandate?" etc. But, it gives folks the flexibility to get the best of both worlds as best they can. It also establishes a boundary where they know which days to schedule home repairs, doctor visits, etc. Hybrid also helps accommodate multiple work styles for people who thrive in a social environment while providing space for people who are better holing up at home to get stuff done.
At the end of the day, we're asking the wrong questions. People are mostly okay with being in an office. It's the commute to the office that people hate.
What's your opinion? What do you prefer? Would you decline a job offer or quit a job based on an RTO mandate?