‘It’s time to admit remote work doesn’t work’, tech entrepreneur David Sacks says

Summary

Tech entrepreneur David Sacks and AI start-up Lindy executive Florent Crivello are two of a growing number of business leaders making a stand against the work-from-home trend that has emerged due to Covid-19. They argue that remote work is the equivalent of a “two-day work week” and is a great lifestyle but not a way to build a great company. They point to the increased co-ordination costs, lack of face-to-face interaction, and problems with achieving alignment as reasons why remote work does not work. Other business leaders, such as Tesla boss Elon Musk, have also spoken out against remote work, and research from LinkedIn shows that three-quarters of Australian business leaders prefer staff to work from the office. However, some companies such as Telstra, Medibank, NIB and Grant Thornton have embraced hybrid working arrangements.

Q&As

AI Comments

👍 This is an interesting article that raises some very important points about the implications of remote work for companies. It is great to see business leaders engaging in a thoughtful dialogue about this topic.

👎 This article is overly biased against remote work and fails to acknowledge the potential benefits that it can provide to employees and companies alike.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about how tech entrepreneur David Sacks says that remote work is the equivalent of a "two-day work week" and it's a "great lifestyle" but bad for companies. There are a growing number of business leaders making a stand against the work-from-home trend.

Friend: That's interesting. It makes sense that companies would prefer employees to be in the office, but at the same time it's not always feasible for everyone.

Me: Yeah, it's a tricky situation. Companies are having to grapple with the fact that remote work can be beneficial in certain situations, but it's also not ideal for fostering collaboration and team alignment. On the flip side, some workers are not able to physically come into the office, so there needs to be an accommodation for them. It's a tricky balance to find.

Action items

• Research hybrid working arrangements and determine if it is a viable option for your company.
• Consider the pros and cons of remote work and how it affects the team dynamic.
• Develop strategies to ensure team alignment and collaboration when working remotely.

Technical terms

Remote Work

Working from a location other than the office, usually from home.

Two-Day Work Week

A work schedule that consists of two days of work and five days off.

WFH Friday

A work schedule that consists of one day of work and four days off.

Colocation

Working in the same physical location as other employees.

Co-ordination Costs

The costs associated with coordinating activities between different people or teams.

Alignment

The process of bringing different people or teams into agreement on a particular goal or strategy.

Atomisation

The process of breaking something down into its component parts.

Managing by Walking Around

A management technique in which a manager visits employees in their work areas to observe and discuss their work.

Hybrid Working Arrangements

A combination of remote and in-person work.

Similar articles

0.90708125 Remote work is the best thing to happen to families in decades

0.8905788 ‘I don’t have time for anything’: A Gen Zer’s horror at the 10-hour day required to commute to an office for her first job goes viral

0.88985497 Solving the Problem of Remote Work

0.88765043 Most bosses regret how they mandated workers return to the office. They blamed it on not having enough data

0.8874116 The companies sticking to fully remote work