Team Efficiency

Will Companies Abandon Remote Work After the Mandated Period?

7 min read
13K views
Human Resource Management
Project Management
Development Management

Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion about companies' mandatory remote work policies. One of the most interesting questions is: “Will companies continue to embrace remote work once the enforced period ends?”

This thought was inspired by a speaker at an online conference on remote work organization. Their claim was that most companies, having experienced the benefits of remote work firsthand, would be reluctant to abandon it. While I don’t share this optimism, I’m keen to hear other perspectives.

Comparing the adoption of remote work today with the introduction of Linux in schools a few years ago, I see several parallels, especially during the early stages:

For schools then, and enterprises now, the need for immediate implementation came as a surprise. Schools had more lead time, but everything was still decided at the last moment.
Initiators failed to explain how to implement the new approach, what challenges might arise, how to solve them, or where to seek help.
The numerous challenges, combined with the lack of preparation, eroded trust in Linux back then and will likely tarnish the reputation of remote work today.

My attempt to structure these thoughts wasn’t very successful, so I’ll present them as overlapping observations. While my perspective is rooted in software development companies, much of this is likely relevant across industries.

Company-Specific Constraints

Certain enterprises face inherent challenges that make implementing remote work difficult or even impossible.

For example, companies specializing in hardware integration—like ATMs, trackers, or electronic keys—may find it challenging to provide every team member with their own devices or to facilitate collaborative work on shared equipment. Similar obstacles arise for projects requiring human testing (e.g., software for people with disabilities), animals, or specific environments (e.g., AR guides).

During forced remote work, isolated tasks can often be completed, or teams might work "blindly." However, full-scale operations often resume only on-site or in-office.

Lack of Tools

The absence of necessary tools can be a significant barrier when the demand for remote work arises suddenly.

Examples include:

Inability to access corporate networks or specific resources externally.
Heavy reliance on offline media for communication.
Lack of task trackers, voice communication tools, or collaborative document editing systems.

These issues can be addressed, but not instantly—they require preparation, evaluation, and training for employees.

Without prior planning, companies may rush to implement tools, undermining their perceived reliability and the overall concept of remote work.

Lack of Self-Discipline Among Employees

In my experience, some employees excel in the office but struggle with trivial tasks when working remotely. The reasons are well-known, even to the employees themselves:

A distracting home environment (e.g., noisy children, pets, or neighbors).
Procrastination, exacerbated by the comfort of home.
Lack of a productive rhythm, typically set by the office atmosphere.

Such employees often prefer at least occasional office work.

Poor Employee Conduct

So far, we’ve assumed that employees are diligent—striving to work more, better, and taking responsibility for results. However, many organizations have less committed employees who reduce their workload and responsibilities whenever possible.

In the office, oversight makes evasion more difficult. But remotely, they can easily hide behind their more diligent colleagues.

Lack of a Remote Work Implementation Plan

We’ve already discussed the lack of time for crafting a comprehensive plan for remote work implementation. However, some planning is still possible, such as:

Identifying potential difficulties in transitioning to remote work.
Assigning personnel to introduce tools and train employees in their use.
Developing rules for remote work, including workspace setup and daily routines.
Addressing individual challenges employees face while working remotely.

Leadership Incompetence

The root of many potentially solvable problems lies in managerial incompetence. At various levels, managers may lack the skills—or the desire—to manage teams and business processes effectively.

Conclusion

If remote work fails in some companies, could it be because the process was left to chance? Perhaps the flaws were there all along, and remote work simply exposed them.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!