Brave New “Hybrid” World
Today, Zoom Video, arguable the biggest tech beneficiary to stem from the pandemic over the last 3 years, announced that they would be requiring employees to return to the office. Any employee within a 50 mile radius of a company office has been asked to return for in-person at least two days a week on a hybrid schedule. At the beginning of 2022, about 2% of Zoom’s employees came to one of their two offices, San Jose and Denver, on a regular basis. In spite of being the stock market darling for the better part of 2020 reaching share prices above $475 per share, the stock has retreated ever since and is now trading at 2019 levels.
There can be no argument what a huge and significant role Zoom, Cisco and other web-based video tools played over the past 3 years, helping people stay connected during a time when face-to-face communication was next to impossible. However, I anticipated that employers would get frustrated over the lack of collaboration, problem solving, culture reinforcement (if the company had a positive one) and other benefits from in-person contact.
There are true benefits from returning to the office whenever possible, provided employers and managers adhere to specific guidelines and expectations. As I wrote a few months ago, I believe Gen Z will be the biggest beneficiary (and loudest criticizer) of a return to the office. Gen Z hasn’t really had the benefit of working for a manager, let alone receiving any direct mentorship nor direction, from their immediate boss. Some Gen Z’s have gone straight from college (where some were forced to learn remotely and were robbed of their true college experience) to working for a manager who they have never met in person. Kim’s cousin’s son graduated from UCLA (Go Bruins!) straight to a good job in Dallas working for Goldman Sachs and after 12 months never met his boss. For some young adults, isolation and loneliness must have been a real concern.
Collaboration and maintaining effective communication must have also suffered in productivity and problem solving. Miscommunication and delayed responses, not to mention the difficulty in not being able to read non-verbal signals had to result in lost productivity and frustration.
For managers who had limited access to their employees, remote work makes it challenging to monitor employee performance and ensure accountability, potentially leading to concerns around productivity. Remote employees might miss out on opportunities for informal learning, mentorship, and career growth that often occurs in office settings. Also, onboarding new, remote employees and integrating them into the company culture is definitely more challenging than in-person methods
This is not to say that there aren’t significant benefits to remote work as well. Increased productivity, employee autonomy and a re-definition of work-life balance has provided additional flexibility to the employee to design their own work day. Employers can also draw from a larger pool of talent if recruiting doesn’t have boundaries, which in some cases can also be more cost effective. And don’t overlook the cost of having office buildings.
Clearly, there are roles and organizations within a company that cannot be performed remotely. Manufacturing and production workers, healthcare professionals, construction workers and restaurant staff are just a few that come to mind. There are other functions where the benefit or need to be in-person are less obvious. Sales people may need to see customers but there may not be a need to be in the office. Legal, accounting, software developers and data analysts are a few more that highlight the versatility of remote work, showcasing how technology enables professionals to contribute effectively to their organizations from different locations.
In conclusion, a remote workforce offers undeniable advantages such as flexibility, access to a global talent pool, and potential cost savings. Also, by allowing people to work from home, there are undoubtedly significant environmental benefits. However, challenges including communication barriers, potential isolation, and maintaining company culture must be addressed for remote work to be successful. Striking the right balance between remote and in-person work, implementing effective communication strategies, and investing in employee well-being are key to harnessing the benefits while mitigating the challenges of a remote workforce. Every company has either implemented hybrid work policies or contemplating what that future state might look like.
