It’s 2024, and the debate of returning to the office and continuing remote work rages on. I recognize the value companies place on having employees back in the office to foster collaboration, team development, and maximize their investments in office spaces and campuses.

However, remote work allows companies access to talent they wouldn’t otherwise have. Unfortunately, the benefits of remote work are often overlooked due to the negative discourse surrounding it. For example, Meta has offices in several states including California, Washington State, Arizona, North Carolina, New Mexico, Virginia, New York State, Texas, and even in Los Angeles and Washington DC. But they don’t have offices in some states, which means there could be exceptional talent in those areas who can’t relocate. Remote work provides these individuals the opportunity to work for major companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, or various startups, despite not being in the same area.

Studying the potential advantages of remote work is difficult when faced with the challenge of getting employees back to the office at pre-pandemic levels. The present economic circumstances differ from pre-pandemic, creating a new set of problems for both employees and employers.

Companies are feeling the economic strain, leading to layoffs, downsizing to go as lean as possible. Employees are also feeling the impact, as they face rising costs for food, gas, and public transportation without raises. Safety concerns have also increased in some areas compared to pre-pandemic.

Given these changes, it’s hard to argue for a full return to the office when people can effectively work from home. The conversation around remote work should acknowledge its benefits, such as access to a broader talent pool. However, it’s challenging to shift the focus to these advantages, which is unfortunate.