August 26th, 2024 | Read Online​

Let People Work From Wherever The Hell They Want To.

Organizations across the world are starting to mandate coming back to the office - this needs to stop...

The Intentional Leadership Newsletter

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It was recently reported that Zoom would start requiring part-time in-person attendance by employees who live within a 50-mile radius of an office.

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Sure, it made for some funny headlines that the company that most supported remote work during the pandemic was doing this, but they’re far from alone.

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Organizations worldwide have started mandating coming back to the office—some as stringent as four days a week.

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This needs to stop.

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Companies are thinking about this the wrong way. While the bosses can talk about bringing people back to increase the opportunities for face-to-face collaboration, it’s balderdash.

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They’re just trying to recoup their sunk real estate costs by filling office seats.

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And who does this hurt? Those who are most vulnerable.

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☹️ People who have chronic illnesses or disabilities.

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☹️ People with lower incomes who have to pay for childcare.

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☹️ People who support elderly parents.

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It’s time to rethink the way people work… permanently.

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By requiring people to come to an office, you’re eliminating hiring the best person for a position if they don’t live in the right place.

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If my ideal candidate lives in Dubuque, Iowa - that’s who I should hire.

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Want to build in-person camaraderie?

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Great. Here’s a plan.

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Downsize your corporate office space. You’ll save lots of money not just on the real estate but also on heating and cooling costs, maintenance, etc.

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Use that saved money to bring your team together in person a few times a year.

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If you have a cluster of employees in one geographic area, rent some shared office space so they can see each other occasionally.

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Remote work is not going away, and fighting it is folly.

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As the saying goes: “You can’t stop the waves, so you might as well learn how to surf.”

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All my best,

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Peter

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ps: learn more about what I do here

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Peter Sorgenfrei

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© Intentional Leadership - a newsletter for whole humans

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