What I Learned After 6 Years Of Remote Work
I haven’t stepped into an office since July 2018—and honestly, it’s completely changed my perspective on work. Having spent nearly 7 years in traditional office setups before that, experiencing both cubicle life and fun startup open spaces, shifting to fully remote work opened a whole new world for me.
I absolutely love the freedom and flexibility remote work has given me. However, I don’t believe it’s the ideal solution for everyone. I’d go even further—I believe remote work can actually be detrimental to some people!
Why? Because working in-person can offer opportunities you’d never get remotely.
Personally, I don’t think I’d be where I am today if I hadn’t spent time working face-to-face with certain people earlier in my career.
Benefits of remote work
On one side of the spectrum, there are people like me who thrive when working remotely, either from home or random locations around the world.
I love the flexibility it offers. I definitely feel more productive without constant office interruptions, and by not wasting time commuting, I gain extra personal hours each day.
Drawbacks
On the flip side, I know employees and freelancers who prefer going into an office or co-working space and dislike working from home or remotely. They enjoy the social interactions, spontaneous discussions, coffee breaks, and the structured environment the office provides. It’s also a clear way to separate work and personal life, and allows for easier mentoring, brainstorming, and collaboration.
As much as I advocate for remote work, I must admit there are certain in-person experiences you just can’t replicate online:
Impromptu & spontaneous conversations: While casual chats in hallways or over coffee ☕️ might seem unproductive, they often lead to genuine relationships, creative breakthroughs, and stronger team bonds. Scheduled online meetings simply can’t recreate that spontaneous spark.
Business trips: Zoom is great for efficiency and saving the planet, but nothing replaces the deep, personal connections and mentorship moments you get from traveling with colleagues or mentors—especially early in your career. Some conversations, relationships, and deals simply can’t happen fully online. 🤝
Sharing knowledge: Early in my career, I learned so much just by being around experienced colleagues every day. Direct mentorship or simply observing skilled coworkers in action provides an immersive experience that online interactions rarely match. This daily immersion can genuinely shape your career trajectory.
I also want to highlight that remote work simply isn’t suitable for many jobs and roles out there. Period. If your job can be done remotely, you’re already privileged in the grand scheme of things.
Even though I personally have little interest in returning to an office, I’d make one exception: I’d pack my bags and settle somewhere if it meant working alongside someone extremely talented whom I deeply admire and could learn a lot from. (Last year, I applied for an in-person role in Hong Kong with because I knew it would be an incredible learning experience—sadly, I didn’t get it 😅.)
Employer perspectives
Employers also seem divided.
Some just don’t want to hear about remote work. If you want the job, you come into the office, period—just like the good ol’ days. They believe offices provide the best environment for employees to thrive and for the company to maximize results. Unfortunately, some simply have trust issues and want to keep an eye on employees at all times. 😅
Then we have employers who embrace remote life themselves and gladly offer the same flexibility to their teams. They see remote work as a competitive advantage for hiring since they’re not limited to local talent.
My take? Employers should trust their teams—after all, why hire someone you can’t trust? Flexibility and clear expectations yield better results than strict mandates.
A note for younger professionals
Remote work might disadvantage younger professionals. In your career’s first decade, being around experienced people can significantly transform your trajectory. I’m unsure how remote work will impact the workforce in the long term, but there will definitely be consequences. Younger workers probably prioritize short-term freedom and flexibility without fully realizing what they might miss out on… only time will tell!
Once you’re more experienced, confident in your craft, and capable of working autonomously, remote work can be ideal—if it suits you. But it does limit opportunities to easily share your experience with younger colleagues. You might selfishly think, “I don’t care, I’d rather work from the beach 🍹,” but just remember your younger self. 😉
Flexibility is key
Rather than companies imposing strict rules, I’d love to see more employers offer flexibility. Office spaces should be available for those who want them (with booking systems to ensure enough space), and proper home-office setups should be provided so remote workers can be comfortable rather than slouched on the couch.
Trust your employees to do their jobs wherever they are—after all, trust can be earned during trial periods. Offering flexibility around both location and working hours massively increases employee satisfaction and reduces turnover. A happy employee is usually a good employee. 😊
On the flip side, clear expectations should be set from the start, helping employees understand when an office setting might better support their growth and development.
Flexible, trust-based environments bring out the best in everyone. Companies offering choices—not mandates—will see happier, more productive teams.
💬 Now I’d love to hear from you: What’s your ideal work environment, and what changes would you like to see?
We talk a lot in the comments about what it's like for us solopreneurs. As someone who personally prefers to have the flexibility to work from anywhere, what you share here resonates.
I also see lots of employers who only want to see folks in the office, for all the reasons you describe. I want to also reflect one faction that I don't think gets mentioned very much. I have encountered some "pro office" folks who don't have trust issues or believe that people are slacking off, etc. etc. What I've seen about this group is that they prefer "in-the-office" because it's just easier for them! These are the folks who may be challenged with using remote technologies (Zoom, etc.), have had their entire career built on working in-person, and grew up in an era where face-to-face was how you built trust. What I see with these folks is that it's just more "comfortable" for them, specifically, to be able to walk around and talk to people at their convenience. I've had honest conversations with these people about why people prefer remote. They are able to see and understand this perspective, it's just harder for THEM to navigate. So in my opinion, this is another variable that factors into this whole debate - self-referencing and personal comfort. Trust or no trust, for some leaders, they want you in the office because it's just plain easier for them. Which is, in itself, a whole other issue, isn't it? It's an opportunity for pro-office leaders to ask themselves, how many decisions do I make on a daily basis that are built upon my personal comfort and not what's in the best interest of the outcomes we are trying to achieve?
Just another perspective to throw into the mix. I believe it's an opportunity (still) to expand the conversation for leaders on how they can adapt to the changing world and focus on the bigger picture!