Remote Work: Challenging but Worth It

By now, anyone interested in remote work is probably aware of Malcolm Gladwell’s statements that caused some heads to explode. For those unfamiliar, back in July 2022, Malcolm Gladwell was on The Diary of a CEO podcast where he said that remote work is not in our best interest. He went on to talk about some of the harms of remote work, including feeling disconnected from others. Based on his comments, it seems to be his belief that working in an office helps employees feel a sense of value in what they are doing rather than it being just about collecting a paycheck.

People were not happy with his comments which resulted in many articles outlining why he was wrong. For example, Inc. published an article that gave four reasons: 1) his comments were hypocritical; 2) his comments exemplified his privilege; 3) his view was simplistic; and 4) he hasn’t looked at the data. Business Insider showcased the many times Gladwell shared his pleasure of working remotely. One article I read claims that Gladwell is “dead wrong” about remote work, and they have some legitimate concerns with those that criticize remote work.

The reality is the topic is nuanced, and both Gladwell and his critics have made valid points. However, the critiques of Gladwell’s comments are not entirely fair. Yes, he indicated that he does not think people should work remotely; however, his critics seem to be missing a bit of context. His broader point was that people want to feel like they belong and are necessary; remote work makes that more challenging. In fact, the next few minutes after he made his controversial comments, the conversation is focused on the importance of creating a place where people feel a sense of connection and belongingness.

The fact is, he is right. Research supports the idea that a sense of belonging is associated with a reduction in turnover and an increase in productivity. Additionally, remote work can create poorer organizational communication, decrease employee well-being, and increase pressure to work on personal time. It also can be challenging to remain engaged at work due to household distractions. So, people may not like what he said, but he has some valid concerns about remote work.

Although Gladwell has some legitimate concerns with remote work, I agree with some of his critics that his comments were a bit short-sighted. The fact is, remote work as it is being done today is a relatively new phenomenon. Of course, people have been working remotely in some capacity for decades; however, with technological advancements, remote work is much different today than at any other time in history. We are still learning how to operate in this environment, so there will be some challenges we have not solved yet. Keeping employees engaged and creating an environment where they feel a sense of belonging will be more challenging. That does not mean we should not advocate for remote work; it means we need to learn more and get better at it. Simply dismissing the idea of remote work as incompatible with human beings is intellectually lazy.

Remote work is not all sunshine and rainbows. Still, it can help organizations reduce overhead costs by cutting out office space, reduce time wasted in traffic, increase the time available for family and friends (because employees are not commuting, not because they are not working), and allow organizations to hire the best talent regardless of location. In many ways, connecting with employees in a remote environment will be more complicated, but I firmly believe it is worth trying. I don’t think that Malcolm Gladwell is intellectually lazy. He has thought about the topic and is concerned with the right issues, but his solution is wrong. We need to put more work in to improve remote work, not get rid of it.