When I, along with so many other professionals suddenly started working from home last year, I thought it would be awesome. And it certainly had its advantages - no commute, less interruptions, more flexibility to exercise & spend family time. Many tech folk rejoiced and declared that this was the way we should all work, all the time.
But work-at-home is no panacea. Many people simply don’t have the space / separation to do long term focussed work at home. Many have kids, family and house-mates around. Internet access varies wildly across cities and suburbs. Bad ergonomics can have a massive impact on people’s health when they are subjected to them full time.
It is also considerably harder to collaborate effectively remotely. Even with instant messaging, teleconferencing, virtual whiteboards etc, the ease of collaboration that can be obtained standing around a whiteboard in a meeting cannot be matched.
I’m about to take my business out of the small space I have carved out at home and full time into a co-working space. I’m looking forward to the change of scene, the separation from family, the tea room, and yes, even talking to other occupants of the space!
Even the short commute is appealing - a little bookend to the working day.
Long term, I’d love to see companies experimenting with hybrid office/remote working setup. Where “remote” could mean home / paid co-work / or a satellite office. This could be a killer combination that balances flexibility & lifestyle with employee health and in-person collaboration which is so important.
Also published on LinkedIn