I am a senior developer in the financial sector. I have worked for several years for fintech companies and I will soon join a large American bank. One of the reasons for my change is working from home: I don’t like it.
The fintech I worked for had a policy of asking everyone to work from home. When this policy was implemented, I asked if I could work in the office, but my request was denied.
Working from home is not the answer. It means longer hours, burnout, and exposure to distractions. On the other hand, the office is where creativity happens and colleagues interact spontaneously. You can’t replicate that online. When you’re stuck at home, you’re likely to feel lonely and isolated and disconnect from the organization.
Policymakers understand this. They look at global performance indicators and are against remote work. They know the numbers. They see the side effects, the mental health issues and the massive lack of innovation.
However, many senior decision-makers are reluctant to abandon remote working because it would impact the recruitment process. It has become very, very difficult to find good talent in big, expensive cities like London.
This is a mistake on the part of candidates. The telework bias is real. I don’t have hard evidence, but most layoffs are of people who work from home. And people with a physical ability close to that of their manager are more likely to be promoted.
That’s why I’m joining a bank that will expect me in the office more than three days a week.
Joseph Huffman is a pseudonym
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