Remote Work Is Here To Stay

After reports of employees not showing up to work, combined with the fact that in order to avoid a mandatory in-office workplace, 40% of employees in Canada would accept a pay cut to have the ability to work from home, with 15% already quit their jobs (and likely more on the way), I'm calling that WFH is a permanent solution to the typical daily commute, 5 days per week.

Many senior leaders of companies like Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft all hail that in-office workers are more productive and that at a very minimum, a hybrid workplace is the requirement to a successful business and team environment.

I have to agree with Brian Chesky, CEO of AirBnB. Hybrid does not work if not thought out properly.

Most companies have defaulted to a hybrid workplace with the aim of setting a happy medium between fully remote and full time in office. Unfortunately, what most companies seem to forget is the value proposition to come into an office (free lunches and ping pong tables do not count). By all means, a hybrid workplace may be suitable for many people, it's only until employees begin to start the morning commute once more, but now instead of having meetings all together in meeting rooms, it's often the case that workers are commuting, adding hours to their work day, unpaid, to sit in a cubicle on a Teams meeting with other co-workers that happen to be beside them or at home anyway due to the staggered work schedules.

Back in Jan 2021 PwC conducted a survey of 1200 workers and 120 executives of which 73% agreed that WFH was a success and 32% of those wanted to continue to WFH permanently. Yes, I am advocate for remote work but also hybrid if implemented correctly, with purposeful meetings, training and team-building.

Now, we all need connection of some sort. The term virtual happy hour has been thrown around and it's also been noted that it just doesn't cut it. That's where team events can help keep projects on track, resolve issues and build a better, more cohesive team than any in office environment could ever build.

Having to come into the office 3 days a week vs. working remotely with bi-monthly or quarterly in-person team events & project updates in the mountains. Sign me up 🌄