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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. If you love watching TED Talks…
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Katarina Janoskova
July 19, 2023 at 4:23 pm
Use the commute to decompress? Really?
Squeezed in a hot sweaty tube train for 45min if I’m lucky and it runs on time? Everyday? For ‘culture’?
Nope. Hybrid and then on case to case basis.
Travelling to the office EVERY day when you can do the same job from home is extremely frustrating and that is why we are asking what is your company’s flexibility at an interview.
Sometimes, we just want to get on with our job at peace.
Grunia Ch
July 19, 2023 at 4:29 pm
I have a higher productivity when I work remotely
Rudy Ramirez Jr
July 19, 2023 at 4:43 pm
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.
Ruby Chew
July 19, 2023 at 4:50 pm
When I was working in the office the females got on my nerves. It’s not the job it’s the people you work with. Depending on the job defines who work remotely. Women find it easier to work from home due to daycare. If people have children they can work at night, while they can attend to their children. As long as the work is being done correctly, I see nothing wrong with remote employment.
Larpskendya
July 19, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Remote working is obviously superior
mikosoftpl
July 19, 2023 at 4:57 pm
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.
Muhammad Haris Arshad
July 19, 2023 at 5:03 pm
I guess Hybrid model is best it gives the opportunity team to work remotely as well as it allow them to physically connected with office family!
Cody Crawford
July 19, 2023 at 5:13 pm
How to sell a turd. No way he buys what he is saying
MCV
July 19, 2023 at 5:22 pm
The Covid comparison is accurate for me and my company. Productivity felt good or even better during that time, but over he last couple years after going back I’ve noticed severe drops in my productivity when I take elongated breaks from the office. We’re licensed creative professionals so it is a specific context. Prior to that I was severely pro WFH. I couldn’t give less of a care about the 9-5 grind. Now I’m staunchly against it, at least for “professionals”. It’s a disservice and delusion of your priorities imo. Balance is everything. The conveniences you get by not needing a commute or dealing with annoying coworkers are unbalanced by the impulses and distractions you share at home. You may feel good and in control, but you’re probably not getting work done to the best of your ability.
Signed-a person with a heavy workload WFH, lured in by a Youtube video in the middle of the day…
D M
July 19, 2023 at 5:33 pm
erm, biased much? Decompress on a nightmare commute?
A Erazo
July 19, 2023 at 5:44 pm
remote working for the win, I could never go back to office
D Grant
July 19, 2023 at 5:53 pm
It’s fascinating how many people are commenting on here as absolutes – WFH works, end of discussion, or vice versa.
I think it’s going to depend on many factors. The type of work you do, the company culture you work in, how far you would have to commute, your own personality…and probably more.
I am lucky to work in an organisation that fully supports working from home. Before the pandemic our office was 150-200 staff, with a small handful working from home. Now, the office generally has less than 10 people in it, and the work is still getting done. I choose to go into the office as my home is too small to have an effective workspace, I live alone so like seeing other people, and my commute is short.
As is obvious, the majority of people are choosing to work from home and many have said it never appealed before, but now they love it. On the counter side, many are also working longer hours as that prompt to stop the day of the cleaners / security start nudging them go home is no longer there. A number have said that’s a downside. Also, as I’m in the office every week day I see the reaction from people when they come in for the occasional day. “OMG, it’s great to be here and see everyone face to face again”, “I’ve had loads of conversations with people that I just wouldn’t over a teams call” (referring to those water cooler type chats – “Hadn’t you heard, they’re phasing that out”), and tellingly “I’d love to come to the office more often…but I probably won’t, I like it at home.
Does working in the office suit me? Yes. Do I think there are advantages of being in the office and being able to have those 2 minute chats that just don’t quite warrant a call? Yes. Is there a different and often better dynamic between people face to face, rather than a video call. Personally, I think there is…subtle, but it’s there. Do I think everyone should be made to return to the office. Totally not. I just find watching how things have changed fascinating.
Rob Berra
July 19, 2023 at 5:58 pm
There are two questions, and only two.
• Can I meet my deliverables working remotely?
• Do I want to work remotely, hybrid, or in an office?
That’s all.
3:48 I don’t care about nap pods, ball pits, or any of that other bullshit.
4:30 None of your business what I did during my commute. I’m glad I don’t have to fight terrible drivers or sit next to someone on the bus who didn’t shower for a month.
6:00 I’m not trying to sell you anything; I’m looking to do my job without having to go to an office.
Kochab
July 19, 2023 at 6:19 pm
4:21 What does it matter to you how someone uses that reclaimed commute time? It’s their time to use for whatever they want, and it’s really none of your business. So you gave one benefit of a commute: decompression. What about the benefits of not having a commute, like the money saved, the greenhouse gases prevented, the car maintenance prevented, the money saved on insurance, the scary situations on the road avoided? Your decompression benefit looks laughably trivial compared to those and really says more about how crummy it is to work nowadays than anything, where you might need an hour just to decompress before walking upstairs to your family. Maybe the answer is simply working less and making our lives less about work.
Sean Roy
July 19, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Just got back from the office, I’m 50% more tired and got about 40% less work done than I would if I had worked from home today.
Caracara Orange
July 19, 2023 at 6:43 pm
If you are a commercial real estate owner/investor then others being in office is what you want!
DY
July 19, 2023 at 6:54 pm
I would prefer it hybrid. Mon-Wed-Fri remotely, Tues-Thurs at the Office. Did the whole Pandemic from home, and it worked out beautifully! Back 100% at the Office now😕
Closed Chill
July 19, 2023 at 6:55 pm
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.
NathanXSavage
July 19, 2023 at 7:37 pm
Short answer, yes. Travel, Travel Costs, Office Politics, Companies even save money by not wasting it on unneeded office space, need I say more. Can depend on the industry, I work in marketing, all I need is a laptop and an internet connection, so just makes logical sense. As for isolation, I enjoy my own company and have social hobbies I do outside of work so I am all good. Did not even need to watch the video lol.
JCS
July 19, 2023 at 7:41 pm
It’s not great for new, young employees. Too isolating – professionally, socially, and emotionally. Imo
Joel Heath
July 19, 2023 at 7:58 pm
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.
Pong Mc2
July 19, 2023 at 8:14 pm
Wfh is better it lesser the carbon emissions produced by commuting
Pong Mc2
July 19, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Plus you’ll be more attached with your family rather than interaction from people you don’t know and don’t like
Fire Fire Colonizer
July 19, 2023 at 8:31 pm
It is only complicated to commercial real state moguls and investors. For the rest of us remote work or hybrid work gives us more freedom to do what we like and spend time with our loved ones
TheRaineMusic
July 20, 2023 at 2:17 am
This is some straight up corporate propaganda. Remote is obviously better for a large portion of the workforce. Some people like the office, and more power to them, but don’t force that on everyone.
nlocniL
July 20, 2023 at 2:30 am
I work form home full time and you can’t convince me that office work brings any benefits. Been working better ever since and way more productive
Octavia Pinfold
July 20, 2023 at 2:32 am
Nobody does anything productive during commuting, especially not reading internal or even confidential emails while a dozen people can see the screen of your phone. But if you’re stupid enough to actually do something work related, that’s free work you’re doing while the company isn’t paying you overtime for it. Stop. Working. For. Free! Also, social structures? C’mon with that American bullshit! People at work aren’t my friends and especially not my family which is so very common to hear from certain companies, I don’t want to spend a second more with them than absolutely necessary. And they feel the same about everybody else, too. Some social bonds could form but 99.9% of the people at work are just strangers you have nothing to do with and should not have any added responsibility to socialize with them. My employer can’t decide who I want to socialize with. Work isn’t the place you go to socialize. The fact that people think it is shows the greed of so many companies and the consequent destruction of all the places people used to go after work for that purpose. And to nail it home, specifically where I work and at any similar company everybody talks to everybody online even while in the office and everybody works online even while in the office. Nothing is different, except the location.
Joanna
July 20, 2023 at 3:41 am
👏👏👏
Alex Plante
July 20, 2023 at 3:00 am
I’m a civil engineer. I waste 2 hours whenever I go into the office, and all for very little benefit, as the office is practically empty. Right now I’m in a deadline crunch, and I do not have time to waste going to the office. To be frank I only go when I have to print out plans. Furthermore, the people I am working with on my current project work in other cities or in other firms, so I do not even meet my work team when I go to the office.
One of the major advantages to working remote, is I can sort my emails every weekend. This takes a few hours, and I usually do it Sunday evening. It helps me plan my week, see what is falling between the cracks, and of course, I end up with sorted emails. I used to have 1000s of unsorted emails.
Padme ASMR
July 20, 2023 at 3:04 am
Same with studying, not only working. I think the best is a mix of both. I miss going to some type of office or building cause I can’t really concentrate at home and miss human connection. Even if I study/edit I usually go to a bar or the library cause I can’t stand the isolation even though I love being alone. I just need a balance. Cause driving or public transport can be very stressful.
Mohsen Alfakir
July 21, 2023 at 6:23 pm
Could you please help me to get an remotely work?
Loree Bell
July 20, 2023 at 3:20 am
No it is being made complicated. Just get over it and move on.
Tim Richards
July 20, 2023 at 4:48 am
During this talk he was very clearly talking to business owners and managers, stating ‘You’re current or potential employees’ or ‘You need to reclaim that narrative’ when talking about the perception of both sides. This entire talk is to give managers and bosses ways to talk to employees that will convince them to agree with working from the office. He hasn’t actually provided any real benefits to working in office.
The answer to the question the video poses is very simple but dependent on the industry and the work itself. If it is possible to work from home, then it is overwhelmingly shown to be beneficial to work from home. If there is any aspect of your profession that requires in person interaction, then you need to be at an office or similar location in order to have that interaction. Simple.
Break it down to each industry and the answer presents itself with the data already available.
shymi
July 20, 2023 at 5:44 am
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.
TNothingFree
July 20, 2023 at 6:35 am
Important talk.
May Moreshet
July 20, 2023 at 7:52 am
Naive. This overlooks two key points: one, some of our cities have broken transit systems and traffic patterns, and in those cities people do not ‘unwind’ during their commute so much as develop hypertension and anger issues. And two, what matters right now is climate change, and commuting has a huge climate impact.
Kimberly McDaniel
July 20, 2023 at 9:03 am
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.
FlyingTablez
July 20, 2023 at 9:36 am
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.
trader2137
July 20, 2023 at 9:37 am
its better for the workers but worse for productivity/management of human resources etc.
Steven Porter
July 20, 2023 at 10:01 am
The world had evolved, gone are the ‘completely off weekends’. If that is good depends on who you ask: a how many days of vacation person or someone who is really invested in their job, meaning if they can’t sleep do they look at the ceiling or do some remote work? I really enjoy remote work too but just saying it cuts both ways.
Matthew Campbell
July 20, 2023 at 5:19 pm
Choosing to work outside of your agree upon hours is your choice regardless of whether you work from home or work in an office
Steven Porter
July 20, 2023 at 6:28 pm
@Matthew Campbell Like I said, it cuts both ways. Commute time saved is probably (if not rightly so already) expected to be work time too. I love remote working too but look at it from the employers point of view.
Francisco Sciaraffia
July 20, 2023 at 10:04 am
if you work in front of a computer; you can do 100% remote 4 days a week. and it works. Anyone who tell you otherwise is gaslighting you.
Geoffrey Bremner
July 20, 2023 at 11:56 am
We don’t need a whole TED investigation on this. Remote work is the way to go. 🎉
Invox
July 20, 2023 at 12:03 pm
If you own your own house, have no kids or elderly to take care during “office hours” and live in a quiet neighbourhood (AND don’t get a wage/salary for it), yes.
If not, probably rather go to a proper office to concentrate on the task.
Also, not all lines of work can be done at home. Some things, specially the lower income jobs HAVE to be done outside.
Colin Bunnell
July 20, 2023 at 12:19 pm
This video is brought to you by people tremendously over-invested in now vacant office space
Luis Alonso Rodriguez Lopez
July 20, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Honestly, none of these arguments seem to outweigh the benefits of working from home and sounds like bullshit made up to justify going back to the office when it’s completely unnecessary.
Serpreme
July 20, 2023 at 2:06 pm
This guy is advocating from the executive level and not everyone else. get out of here with this watered down ‘i want control’ talk
Andrea Scarpetta
July 20, 2023 at 2:27 pm
it’s all a matter of finding balance. Commuting 2 times a day, every day, it’s painful in particular if there is no reason for it.
– the idea of not having a proper work/life balance is ALWAYS going to be present during in-presence jobs: if you’re productive, you’re going to be overload with work to counterbalance unproductive collegues.
– if you are good, there will ALWAYS people that abuse your kindness and skills, to do less work. It’s more difficult to do that when you’re not available.
– If your problem is decompressing from work, get a bike, get our of the house for a quick run, return refreshed.
– better yet, get a place where you can isolate from family, like a coworking space or a cafè. If you need isolation, get some construction headphones.
– if your work need tight working in team, negotiate some days of work in office and some days or remote work.
– the companies should face the truth: the management is often incompetent and cannot properly manage projects.
Rachel K
July 20, 2023 at 5:21 pm
During my commute time, I spend lots of money on gas and raise my blood pressure with traffic. 😉
Rachel McInnes
July 20, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Great and balanced chat thanks – will be using for my students
qwerty
July 20, 2023 at 9:00 pm
I think that working at remote is more useful than in the office, because we’re saving our hours and we can sit at home with cozy atmosphere.
mericles77
July 20, 2023 at 9:02 pm
I am sorry, I can no longer invest 50 hours per month of unpaid commute time in your business even if I wanted to. Sorry, I can no longer work 40 extra hours per month unpaid just because ‘it is not ethical’ to leave the office at 5pm while ‘your’ team members are still there working. While I am the one who is doing the job (and is creating value for your business) the job will be done wherever I want it to be done and the way I want it to be done. If (mis)’leaders’ are not happy with this they are free to do the job themselves.
mercuriallimit
July 21, 2023 at 3:31 am
it’s nice to have the “option” to WFH, not totally removed it and make it a monitoring issue just because Top Management doesn’t “trust” or doesn’t respect the SLA of a project, or just isn’t wanting to change the way it was done “before” transfering to the new role and rather adopt, not adapt.
WFH to me is way to recharge my energy and diffuse some of the stress from having to commute or to see the big boss face. I have to drive to commute coz public transport is very bad. So not much I can do while commuting, so it’s nice to not travel everyday.
amae shamal
July 21, 2023 at 5:51 am
Can someone help me to find remote work plzzzz
Tony Lune
July 21, 2023 at 2:19 pm
I will never set foot in another office again
Miyo Fiena
July 21, 2023 at 4:45 pm
Commute time is completely wasted for me with dealing stressful traffic and public. Also I am very distracted if I have to work at office as it is hard for me to avoid meaningless office small talk. So I prefer to work from all time from home. Personally I see no advantages for myself to work at an office in my job.
Regita Ayu Cahyani
July 21, 2023 at 9:50 pm
I think the best choice is being hybrid. My company implement the hybrid system, and its work. The positive side from wfo is we can interact with our co-work and discuss about things more clearly, but sometimes we need to relax ourself like not being pathetic when we have to prepare go to office in the morning, get all of the trafic, and etc.
Avi Richar
July 21, 2023 at 9:53 pm
i’m not sure i’ve ever heard a better example of 7+ minutes of time saying nothing but duh-obvious things in ways that make it sound like it’s some brilliant conclusion, until you think for half a second about what’s actually being said…
Janderson Alves
July 21, 2023 at 11:00 pm
We ill see:
a) productively
b) Hiring of Talent and
b) Culture of company
Very good 👏🏻
Janderson Alves
July 21, 2023 at 11:01 pm
I thinking that the better policy its hibrid work.
Awatierz
July 22, 2023 at 1:50 am
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
Saad Alvi
July 22, 2023 at 4:08 am
The speaker says that they are not saying one is better than the other, but clearly they are learning heavily on working from the office. I absolutely disagree with arguments that have been put forward.
glamdrag
July 22, 2023 at 9:08 pm
this ted talk should have been given from home. stop reaching
Tech With Crabby
July 23, 2023 at 4:56 am
Remote is the future
Elvis D'cruz
July 23, 2023 at 4:14 pm
Work from home does not work… People actually don’t work at all when working from home… Its the worst thing ever happen to any company.
Dave Fischer
July 23, 2023 at 9:32 pm
if you have a good apartment and good work space it can be good
Fabian Ramirez
July 23, 2023 at 10:36 pm
Bosses can force me to abandon remote work, but won’t be able to persuade me it is better.
Since working remotely, I no longer waste up to three hours per day moving to the office, I have more flexibility on managing my time as I see fit, I save money from moving costs, have less risks on being falling victim of accidents or criminals and all summed up, makes me live a less stressful life with chance of spending more time with family or investing it on my personal development/leisure.
Only drawback I can think related to remote working is having less opportunities to socialize with colleages, but that wasn’t something I did very often when used to go to the office anyway.
D Jones
July 24, 2023 at 10:23 am
I’m so much more productive working remotely! No troublemaker standing at my desk asking me personal questions or trying to drag me into office drama they create, no coworker sloughing their work off on me saying they need help while they’re outside smoking or at someone else’s desk goofing off, no rude coworker “borrowing” my stuff without asking and never returning anything…I could go on.
Christopher Coutinho
July 24, 2023 at 10:28 am
Decompress while commuting. Is it a joke? Probably this guy has never used public transport where your body is actually compressed like sardines packed in a tin and your hanging on for dear life. Remote work is the way to go and Managers need to work more succinctly to manage employees rather than chill out at an office.
Adriel Werlich
July 24, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Is simple for the simple. Complicated for the complicated. Furthermore, it is a political issue.
ejeff lamphier
July 24, 2023 at 5:31 pm
I have heard organizational culture for years. Nothing but hogwash. You are there to provide a service or function for money. Nothing more. One day you can be valued and rewarded the next you have no value. I want to smack anyone who talks about the culture of an organization. It’s a buzzword for do as I say.
John Tapia
July 25, 2023 at 1:41 pm
You should understand how can working in an office be better than working remotely. When you say collaboration you mean how do I trample on someone to get ahead. Whe. You say work efficiency you may fighting 3 hour traffic to get to the office and come home. When you say work like balance you say missing my kid growing up and not being able to make it to his games, his school concerts his graduation because I am stuck in traffic. Also it’s not just us it’s the environment the climate the homeless amazing what we can do with this model
EJ Coba
July 25, 2023 at 8:47 pm
Let your team achieve the goal togather with team-inspired solutions, the rest is all about individual time management. Remote or At-offiice work should be based on the nature of the job and individual preference. Having new social/community activities as a team is more benificial to strengthen the relationship, rather than pushing people to get back to the office.
Nicole T
July 26, 2023 at 1:07 am
Depends on your job but we work a hybrid model and it’s silly. Go all the way in to work two days a week to go on zoom meetings 😄
Joseph Gooden
July 26, 2023 at 11:57 am
Judging by the comments, I think this guy should have read the room…