Is Remote Work the Future?

Is Remote Work the Future

‘The Nowhere Office’ Explores This Idea

Think about your current work environment for a second. Is it the same as it was three years ago? Likely not, as the traditional workplace was overhauled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, many employees across various industries are working remotely. But can work return to the offices full time? Should it? Julia Hobsbawm answers these questions and more in her book “The Nowhere Office: Reinventing Work and the Workplace of the Future.”

Now that pandemic lockdowns have been lifted, many business owners have attempted to push employees to return to the office full time. Hobsbawm believes that’s the wrong approach, as forcing employees back into an office could kill productivity and writes that remote or hybrid workplaces can be more flexible for employers and employees alike while still allowing work to be completed on time. But if remote work is the future, what will happen to the workplaces owned by businesses? Are they unnecessary? Not exactly, explains Hobsbawm. She believes that businesses still need physical workspaces, but how they are used will change. They will no longer be a place where employees spend their entire days. Instead, they will be designated for networking, training, and development.

Hobsbawm also tackles the idea of how much employees should be working. She informs business owners that it’s ok to have employees work less, as it can lead to more productivity. She states that “work can and should be not only a source of raw income, but also a purposeful life itself.” While your employees need to earn a livable wage, they should also find passion in their work, or they will quickly burn out and feel resentment toward their job.

If your business has switched over to a remote or hybrid environment and you’re still trying to figure out how to successfully manage your team, “The Nowhere Office” will help you develop a plan.

This article is courtesy of Terry Monroe, American Business Brokers & Advisors newsletter.