I had a pretty cushy, 100% WFH job at a big company and was probably getting promoted to senior within the next year. I liked the company, I liked the position, I liked my team, I liked what I did, and I was making pretty good money.
I hated the location though, and I'd been renovating my house to get it ready to rent so I could move. My manager was fully onboard with me working from anywhere within the lower 48.
Then, after nearly three years of fully remote, they called us back into the office with the usual "collaboration is better in person" justification, but no data of course. My manager allowed me to continue to work remotely, but it was a hassle. I could feel that I was now at a disadvantage, and it was painful to deal with meetings where 80% of the team was onsite, in some conference room, speaking through outdated teleconferencing equipment, watching someone draw on a whiteboard through someone else's laptop camera pointed at it (seriously). I started making plans to leave, and lo and behold, they offered a buyout, which I of course accepted.
I firmly believe that remote is the future of work, but rather than adapting onsite processes to remote work, the processes need to be built around remote work. It takes time to do this, but it's clearly possible to achieve similar levels of productivity remotely as onsite, as evidenced by the many companies who were fully remote before the pandemic, and still are.
Employers are pushing back on remote work now, but with the USA's long-term structural skilled labor shortage and climate change bearing down on us, I would be very surprised if remote work doesn't become the norm (where possible) in a decade.
I'm currently working on a master's degree and I have enough money to coast for a while, so I'm being very picky. I'll only consider hybrid or fully onsite in specific geographic areas (west coast), and compensation has to increase significantly to make up for the increased hassle and decreased mobility. 95% of non-remote roles don't make the cut.
I faithfully respond to every recruiter on linkedin who contacts me with an onsite or hybrid position with the same line:
"Thank you for reaching out, but I'm only considering remote work at this time. Please keep me in mind if a fully remote position opens up which fits my skillset. Thanks!"
I would urge everyone who feels as I do about remote work to do the same.
My current employer "requested" everyone within 1 hour of the office to come in 2 days a week, and did it with integrity and powered by data. They spent significant time and money making sure things like meeting room technology accommodates remote attendees.
I'm ~3 hours from the office, still have never been in, and can honestly say it's been great.
It's 100% possible to do hybrid WFH/RTO, but it takes intentional investment from the business to succeed.
This is a really good point. There are lots of companies that I wouldn't work for because of their location (I'm not willing to be in SV or SF, for instance). With many of them, if I could work remotely for them, then I'd consider it.
I hated the location though, and I'd been renovating my house to get it ready to rent so I could move. My manager was fully onboard with me working from anywhere within the lower 48.
Then, after nearly three years of fully remote, they called us back into the office with the usual "collaboration is better in person" justification, but no data of course. My manager allowed me to continue to work remotely, but it was a hassle. I could feel that I was now at a disadvantage, and it was painful to deal with meetings where 80% of the team was onsite, in some conference room, speaking through outdated teleconferencing equipment, watching someone draw on a whiteboard through someone else's laptop camera pointed at it (seriously). I started making plans to leave, and lo and behold, they offered a buyout, which I of course accepted.
I firmly believe that remote is the future of work, but rather than adapting onsite processes to remote work, the processes need to be built around remote work. It takes time to do this, but it's clearly possible to achieve similar levels of productivity remotely as onsite, as evidenced by the many companies who were fully remote before the pandemic, and still are.
Employers are pushing back on remote work now, but with the USA's long-term structural skilled labor shortage and climate change bearing down on us, I would be very surprised if remote work doesn't become the norm (where possible) in a decade.
I'm currently working on a master's degree and I have enough money to coast for a while, so I'm being very picky. I'll only consider hybrid or fully onsite in specific geographic areas (west coast), and compensation has to increase significantly to make up for the increased hassle and decreased mobility. 95% of non-remote roles don't make the cut.
I faithfully respond to every recruiter on linkedin who contacts me with an onsite or hybrid position with the same line:
"Thank you for reaching out, but I'm only considering remote work at this time. Please keep me in mind if a fully remote position opens up which fits my skillset. Thanks!"
I would urge everyone who feels as I do about remote work to do the same.