As the pandemic has abated over the past several years, a pseudo-debate has emerged throughout many companies as to whether “working from home” policies should continue. I say a “pseudo-debate” because many employees believe that they have a consequential voice and vote in the matter. Like it or not they do not.
When all is said and done, remote work and remote interaction proved workable to a degree during the throes of Covid, but it is hardly optimal where interaction between individuals and teams is necessary.
Pragmatic Decisions
In reality, a decision to continue to support remote work from home vs. a mandated return to the office is one that must be made by the leadership of an enterprise based, cold-bloodedly, upon what is necessary for the overall health and well-being of the business. It is a decision which must be well thought out and influenced by the opinions of all of those principally affected. But when all is said and done it is likely to be a binary decision that will not be applauded by many. At the end of the day, leadership’s mandate must be to protect its business’s viability.
Working to Live
It stands to reason why many employees have embraced working from home. Flexibility in lifestyle, personal scheduling freedoms, avoidance of commuting time and expense, and for some, an opportunity to relocate to a more appealing location– all reasons for many to want to be allowed to continue to work from home.
I’m on the board of a tech company that moved into a brand-new and spacious office facility in 2019 but like most headquarter operations had to revert to remote work once Covid 19 reared its ugly head. The company, which had always had some element of remote team activity, mastered the challenges that WFH required to the extent that it is now operating mostly remotely as a matter of permanent governance.
While this pandemic-driven accommodation has worked well for some companies who have now embraced remote work permanently, or have moved company facilities to more favorable locations, it apparently doesn’t work for most.
Change of Venue
As we’ve seen from an unending string of announcements, staged and then complete return to the office mandates have abounded. Over the past several years, while teaching at Columbia’s Business School, I was repeatedly asked by students what my position would be if I were still CEO of a company regarding WFH. My reply was always the same, notably, if I thought WFH was a nonstarter I would have begun to wean the organization off WFH over a defined period leading up to a non-negotiable return to the office date. I definitely would take that position if I thought that the organization could not be successful in acceding to the understandable but unworkable preference of many in the organization’s workforce.
Some students, concerned about the career decisions they would face upon graduation, would often pose the question, “What if a company’s most talented associates refuse to come back to the office?” My answer was always the same. If I thought a return to the office mandate was necessary, I would sever those unwilling to comply, wish them well, and then move on. Yes, there would be some period of upheaval and disruption, but then life would go on. This tough love message is accompanying more and more corporate announcements today.
Team Sports
Remote work and interaction proved workable to a degree during the throes of Covid, but it is hardly optimal where interaction between individuals and teams is necessary. At Columbia, I taught via Zoom for several years during the pandemic but could never align with the view of some that this practice should continue. Before joining Columbia, I was responsible for many large retail organizations throughout a 30-year career in that industry. I would never have deemed remote work for most central activities to be viable. This is because of the interactive and interdependent nature of merchandising, assortment planning, marketing, product development and sourcing that are the lifeblood of a retailer or brand.
Finally, to my students, I would describe the very real value to them of seeing the inter-workings of a company from the management’s position. In terms of seeking career advancement, I often said that if you are dead set on a work-from-home lifestyle, then look for a job as another face on Zoom working for a company that’s okay with that. If, however, you are devoted to significant future career opportunities within a complex organization, stop complaining and get back to the office.
