Is Remote Work Better Than Being in the Office? It's Complicated | Mark Mortensen | TED

Opinions about remote work are plentiful and conflicting -- but what does the research say? Organizational design expert Mark Mortensen identifies the challenges of navigating the hybrid work debate and shares three conversation topics every workplace should explore as people change the way they show up on the job.

Follow TED!

#TED #TEDTalks #work

[Mooreeezy]

I've been working remote for two years. Although it's not always easy due to isolation, the freedom it gives hard workers is priceless

[Lessthanthree]

Catching up on calls and emails during my commute time? More like focusing on driving and fighting traffic for over an hour. Working remote removes all that stress AND saves money!

[geoffreybremner]

We don't need a whole TED investigation on this. Remote work is the way to go. 🎉

[hope_s]

After experiencing the effects of the pandemic, my perspective on remote work completely shifted, and I found myself embracing its charms!

[gymleaderjake]

I think the answer is simple.

If your job requires you to physically touch things, or manage people who do, you need to be in the office enough to do that in a timely manner.

If your job doesn't require you to touch things, it can be done either way.

The company should set performance expectations and employees should be allowed to deliver on those expectations from wherever they like.

[nighswimming]

I've been working fully remote for the last 3 years and my productivity increased and costs decreased. Got promoted since too. Plus all the extea time.

[briasoloable]

I am a remote worker. My company broke the lease on our building and I have no office to go back to. I’m glad. I prefer to work from home.

[rudyramirezjr]

The problem is quality of life. When you commute two hours a day or more, when do you have time to spend with your family, hobbies and me-time? It sucks. I get home at 7pm, my kid is in bed at 8:30pm. Five nights a week, it’s depressing.

[joeldheath]

The "commutes are good for transition b/w work and home" argument is so obviously flawed, it's astonishing that it's still their go-to. Hey, if you need an hour to decompress from work, then go outside and go for a walk for an hour. It's better for you (and the environment) than commuting and you can get the same psychological separation benefit.

[Nolaris]

I've done full office, then full remote, then full office again. In my opinion, the hybrid model is a good balance. Work from home with a regular catch-up office time helps balance my energy levels while not feeling entirely isolated

[kimberlymcdaniel]

I’m a remote worker and work collaboratively with my team through Teams. We team-build and bond together working through issues that arise. Through remote hires, we are able to hire the best in their respective fields without the cost and stress of relocation. No disruptions to families, communities or children’s stability. It’s a win-win. Does it work for all industries, of course not. But many are viable using this model. Change is afoot and companies need to adapt.

[MikaerBrasil]

He is defending work from the office while giving a TED Talk remotely from home😂

[FlyingTablez]

I don't need to spend an hour in a car or train "decompressing" before seeing my family. I WANT to see them more. Remote work allows that to happen. These conversations should be employee focused rather than employer focused. If you can perform your function remotely and choose to do that then you should have all the power to make that choice. I don't live to work, I work to live. I love being remote and can't see myself ever desiring the office after these past few years.

[ianemory]

I'm working hybrid 2 days on and 3 days at home. At this point any future job would have to pay an absolute premium for me to go into the office at all times.

Also, to answer his questionI spend the extra time cleaning, getting stuff done around the house, and sleeping this in turn leads me to having more time with my daughter and the things I enjoy.

[hizakikun]

Anything is better than being in the office

[cp]

Except you see it’s not complicated at all. It’s much better being able to work from home when it’s completely unnecessary to be in the office.

[shymi]

Working in an openoffice space is the worst experience a person can have - abysmal productivity, because of constant noise and random interruptions make working from an office a big NO for me alongside with long commutes, because offices here are usually on the other side of the city and it would take me at least 2 hours a day of commuting. What I do with the 2 extra hours, that are not used for commute anymore - I go in the park near me and take a walk and spend some time reading. Commuting is abysmal before/after work hours with overcrowded uncomfortable public transport or driving to the usual traffic jam. The point for after meeting relationship build/rebuild is also a total BS for me - after meetings(especially long ones) I don't want to communicate with anybody I have just been in a meeting with. The whole idea, that within a company we are "one big family" and that you MUST build personal relationships during work is another BS - I am there to do a job, not make friends and if I find someone interesting I would befriend them outside of office hours.

[closedchill]

That talk eloquently stated the obvious while at the same time giving mental space to managers to call for in person work. Essentially: 'remote work is great over a couple years as facts show, but long term its bad because reasons that are so complicated only a manager could truly make the judgement call because only they know their business.' I posit there is a huge number of people in white collar jobs whose actual only skill is being good looking, looking busy, or being bossy. Its hard to do any of these things in remote work situations. Also there is real estate factor- people forced to commute are forced to live close to office and drive up real estate prices in that area which benefit those invested. Imagine if you owned apartments in the city where your corp is located and you're a VP.

[KevinVanGelder]

Nothing complicated about it. Remote work is better than being in the office.

[austinjoseph]

Remote Work > Office

It's that simple