In episode 71 of the Leadership Minute, Tony Uphoff discusses remote work and why it’s so popular, but points out some of the important benefits of working in an office, at least some of the time.
Highlights
01:16 — Tony talks about being part of the first generation that was able to work from anywhere based on advances in mobile technology. Jump to today, and it’s clear that remote work has gone mainstream, and plenty of research backs this up.
02:12 — Tony boils it down to four main reasons why people favor remote work: employee preferences for flexibility, productivity, access to talent, and cost savings.
To hear practitioner and platform insights on how solutions such as ChatGPT will impact the future of work, customer experience, data strategy, and cybersecurity, make sure to register for your on-demand pass to Acceleration Economy’s Generative AI Digital Summit.
03:17 — Despite the popularity of remote work, there is one thing that’s getting lost in the debate: the benefits of being in an office. While Tony’s career benefited greatly from the ability to use mobile technology, he gained tremendous benefits from working in an office, where he learned his craft, developed relationships, accelerated his learning curve, and advanced his career.
04:29 — Tony’s advice for business leaders is to be flexible and allow for some level of remote work, while at the same time providing offices and encouraging the use of them. Also, develop a strategy for your office environment to allow for the sharing of knowledge, embrace the unofficial apprenticeship model, and create an environment where your employees can learn by watching and working with others.
05:00 — And for employees who want a career, not just a job, Tony says they must find ways to get into an office regularly. “You must take on an apprenticeship mindset,” he says. “No amount of video calls can possibly equal the benefits of watching, listening to, and developing relationships with smart, experienced people who know more than you do.”
Want more tech insights for the top execs? Subscribe to the Leadership channel:
