Remote work is killing company culture.
We no longer get the belonging cues that come with natural social interactions.
This leads to more transactional relationships.
We spend more time in front of a screen.
Building a network becomes difficult.
We don't know if enjoy someone’s company enough to work with them in the future, unless we spend time with them outside work.
These are all tradeoffs.
Remote—or distributed—work may kill company culture, but it also allows us to move closer to family and friends.
It obscures when we work, which emphasizes results instead of a fixed working schedule.
It allows us to spend more time with our kids and partners.
We can travel more, as long as we get our work done.
We can choose where to live, and make conscious decisions about cost of living and lifestyle.
Companies can spend more on things like upgrading work stations and team-building, since they aren’t spending money on an office.
Remote work is here to stay, and more people will start seeking the option.
It’s not a panacea for all issues with modern work.
In the end, it’s an individual choice, and despite the myriad of tradeoffs to consider, it’s nice to have the option.
