Cocktails with Carl

My Perspective on Remote Work

This is gonna be short and to the point. First, let’s get this out of the way….remote work is here to stay and I am not here to dispute that or fight it. There, I said it. Okay? Yes, I have hesitantly accepted it as the new normal, but I definitely have not embraced it. And I don’t think I ever will. Why? The team here at June Co might  tell me I’m stuck in the past. It’s true that I am getting older and with that comes a natural resistance to change. However, over the last 2 years I have witnessed a whole host of reasons why I don’t think it works great. I’ve highlighted a few of those reasons below.

We are doing a huge disservice to our young, inexperienced team members

Young workers in particular need proper onboarding, networking, and training in order to find their footing in a new company. Without it we can expect challenges making connections, building trust, and developing healthy relationships. As both leaders and young workers take advantage of flexible work schedules, their time working together lessens, elongating the onboarding process and making it more difficult to learn the critical skills needed for success. In small, entrepreneurial companies in particular, we are relying on this young talent to carry out important responsibilities and also become future leaders as the organization grows. The disengagement because of remote work stunts this development and results in a lack of excitement and low morale.

We are creating a culture of isolation over togetherness

We’ve now learned that locking kids out of classrooms and teaching them via zoom was a horrible idea. Not only did their academic progress come to a halt but so did their much needed social connection with their classmates. The results have been devastating. Reading comprehension and math scores have plummeted while depression and sucide rates have skyrocketed. Unfortunately, it looks like we are repeating some of the same mistakes in the professional world, opting to work alone, communicating primarily through text, chat, and email. Human beings were made to physically connect and interact with one another, so this world in which we isolate and only communicate via phone and computer seems unsustainable in the long run. 

Team chemistry takes a back seat to personal priorities

As I’ve stated many times before, I am a huge proponent of teamwork. I’ve studied a number of the best performing teams over time and the one main quality they all have is the willingness to place the team as a higher priority than the individual. In order to achieve that, teammates need to come together, get to know one another intimately, build trust, and develop meaningful relationships. When we are absent on a regular basis it’s difficult to do all that. In other words, remote work has thrown a monkey wrench in our ability to create great team chemistry. As I tell the team here at June Co often, there is a reason that the highest performing teams, be it debate, sports, orchestras/bands, etc., all practice together. Although each individual could work on their craft alone, they recognize the value of coming together in order to produce the best finished product possible. 

Productivity/efficiency takes a hit

I’m sure I will get pushback with this one. The bottom line is that communication becomes more cumbersome and delayed when key partners are missing. I don’t believe that is a controversial statement. Think about the number of times you’ve joined an impromptu discussion or meeting in order to immediately answer questions and solve problems? It happens often in an environment where each key team member is present. That same discussion or meeting will generally get tabled for later when key members are not present.

In the end, I am not here to argue against remote work. There are some nice benefits to consider including eliminating commute time, lowering fuel costs, and improving work life balance (to name a few). We all have things that periodically interrupt a “traditional” work day, especially caring for family members that need it like young children and aging parents. Since the Covid 19 pandemic, we’ve culturally shifted some of our priorities, many for the better. However, there is a flipside to all of this and I am here to offer some perspective. Some of these advantages are offset by added stress due to loneliness/isolation, mounting to-do lists, unpreparedness, and lack of advancement. To relieve this pressure, I would suggest considering both sides when planning your schedule. Just because we have the option to work remotely, it won’t always be the best decision. Choose wisely.

Good Luck!

Cocktail Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Martini

I never knew how divisive pumpkin spice flavoring is. I guess you’ll either love it or hate it!

1.5 ozs. Vanilla flavored Vodka (Stoli)

1.5 ozs. Bailey’s Irish Cream

1.5 ozs. Pumpkin Spice flavored Liqueur (Hiram Walker)

1 pinch Ground Cinnamon

1 pinch Ground Nutmeg

Ice

Place vanilla vodka, irish cream, and pumpkin spice liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until the ingredients are incorporated and the outside of the shaker has frosted. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy-or not :)