The great workplace debate: Remote, hybrid or office?

September 13, 2024

JAKARTA – Remote, hybrid or in-office work? Three years after the world reopened, it seems there is still no consensus on the best work arrangement.

The pandemic shattered our conventional notions of the workplace, demonstrating that employees do not necessarily need to be in their cubicles to do their jobs. When the lockdowns ended, however, we saw companies revise work policies and modernize facilities to entice employees back to the office. But when employees protested, hybrid models emerged.

With so many variations now on the table, will we ever find a solution that works for all, or is the future of work more fluid than ever?

What new normal?

The debate over where to work is not straightforward. While remote work generally allows us to focus more on tasks and avoid the dreaded rush-hour traffic, it also limits the social interactions that help us build authentic relationships with our coworkers.

There is research to support the former. McKinsey reports that 50 percent of businesses found remote sales models to be as effective, if not more, than the traditional model. United States architecture firm Gensler’s workplace survey also found that we excel at individual work and personal creativity while working from home.

Yet, many of us realized during the long months of lockdown that we craved face-to-face interaction. According to Gensler, the role of the post-COVID workplace has shifted from merely a place where people simply go to work to a place where people socialize and work with each other.

Anaya, a 25-year-old graphic designer in Jakarta, says she is most productive in the office. She limits her chatting to lunch breaks and the occasional work discussions with her colleagues.

This is not