re: The New Remote Modern Workplace

There are some professions that are not conducive to working remotely. I've been an engineer/project manager in manufacturing for close to 20 years and this is one of those professions. Yes, there are days I could work from home, but for the most part, I need to be onsite working with my direct reports and other groups on a 1:1 basis. From design work to personnel coaching, there is nothing like being able to work face to face get the work done quickly and effectively.

I can see all the liberal arts, finance, law, sales, insurance, etc. professions going to remote office, but when it comes to managing non-professional personnel and physically making a product, you need to spend a majority of your time in the office.

My wife is an engineer as well, however, she has moved into manufacturing logistics for a Fortune 50 company over the past 15 years or so. She spends half her time on conference calls, or doing analysis, so she could probably move to remote working, but would still have to go into the office every now and then to make presentations to the presidents, and customers.

And even though I am in introvert, I still have to have the face to face contact with people. I just can't read people over the phone, or through email. The personal relations are what help grow the business, and I just may be old, but I can't form a relationship over the phone or email.

I'm just hopeful that in my lifetime this will see a rejuvenation of desirable smaller towns/cities.

A lot of people can't move to those places because they're tethered to professions that don't exist there. And, not to be a snob, but a lot of nice places are burdened (to some extent, I know it cuts both ways) by not having professionals who can live there. It impacts how "nice" a place can generally be, especially in this region.

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I'm just hopeful that in my lifetime this will see a rejuvenation of desirable smaller towns/cities.

A lot of people can't move to those places because they're tethered to professions that don't exist there. And, not to be a snob, but a lot of nice places are burdened (to some extent, I know it cuts both ways) by not having professionals who can live there. It impacts how "nice" a place can generally be, especially in this region.

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I agree. A town like Abbeville, LA could be really nice, but there is nothing to bring young professionals there. My wife and I talk about this often because her parents are both from there and live near there currently. I don't know a single person not born there, that would want to move there because there aren't really professional jobs located in that area.

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When is the “office” concept going to die? I have a cell phone and laptop. I couldn’t get to my office today but worked on my computer and still did two conference calls I was scheduled to do. Second call had several other people working remotely.

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As someone who has worked at home exclusively for 5 years now, be careful what you ask for.

But you have to acknowledge that cell phones and email have completely allowed work to invade employees personal lives. And I don’t believe the transition has been positive in most industries. You can’t expect someone to be chained to a desk for a min or 40 hours and expect them to be available every min they aren’t via phone/email. At some point it’s not only about money.

Wouldn’t surprise me if you see more and more people consider transitioning out of salary back to hourly work if we don’t find a balance.

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That said, as a consultant, if your making money and the train is rolling, then working remotely is far easier to accept.

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If a business isnt measuring employee performance by means other than looking over the employee's shoulder, then they are already failing anyway.

I have a long commute - I just want one day a week from home. No reason you can’t with remote log ins, video conferencing, etc.