RTO vs. WFH: The Debate Rages On

As a job seeker I find myself in the middle of one of the most contentious debates of our time: in person vs. remote work. OK, maybe that is an overstatement, but people really do have strong opinions about it!

Disclaimer: For the sake of argument, I chose the two opposite sides of the issue and did not include hybrid (a mix of remote and office) work. It was easier (and shorter) that way, so perhaps I can tackle that in a separate post.                                                                                                                    

Is this really the case?
(Pardon the early 2000's meme)

The most vocal camp seems to be the remote, or work-from-home (WFH) crowd. They espouse the work-life balance and the importance of being able to spend time with family by working remotely. There is the additional benefit of not having to endure what can in some cases be a long commute. Time in transit is "wasted" and staying home means that time can be spent working. Also, the work is getting done is it not? So why then would it be necessary to go to an office? There is the claim too, that WFH means working longer hours, as there is no separation from home life and work.  

The other side of the debate is the return-to-office (RTO) crowd. From what I hear this seems to be made up entirely of faceless and unfeeling companies who are out of touch with the reality of the WFH movement. Power to the people!

The argument for RTO is that WFH is eroding the collaborative ideation that comes with working in an office. After all it is easier to walk down to someone's cubicle or stop them in the hallway and kick around an idea than it is to set up a Zoom call. The spontaneity factor certainly cannot be dismissed. There is also the fact that many companies have invested time and money to build inviting office environments in which to do all this collaborating. Lastly, there is the argument that productivity suffers because of WFH. Simply put, people are taking advantage of the fact that the boss is out of sight and slacking off. 

Now that I have set that all up, you are probably wondering where I stand?

I am in the RTO camp, which seems to be the minority opinion these days. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to get up, get dressed, and go to the office. As I outlined in a previous blog post, that kind routine is important to me. I worked on a trading desk for my entire career, which meant very close quarters and constant human interaction. That kind of work environment allows me to collaborate, build relationships, and there was plenty of spontaneity. Aside from the spontaneous nature of in-person work, the rest could be done remotely, but I prefer in-person. 

There is also the fact that I live in a small apartment and do not have a dedicated home office space. Balancing a laptop on a pillow while I sit on the couch is not my idea of "work-life balance". Neither is sitting at the coffee table ten feet from my bed. I feel like this point is often overlooked when remote workers in the suburbs talk about their luxurious WFH setups in the den or extra bedroom. The struggle is real! 

 

Well, there you have it. I have made my minority(?) opinion known, now it is time to hear from those on the front lines. Are you in the RTO or WFH camp, and why?

Let me know in the comments!