Culture critic: Remote Work Can’t Last

Remote work “won’t last,” predicts Allison Schrager at City Journal. “Even if we have the technology to work from home, we don’t have the culture for it.” Indeed, many functions “can’t be done remotely.” “Work isn’t just daily deliverables like logging into a meeting or speaking with a client.” “Innovation and problem-solving often rely on collaboration. Sometimes this happens spontaneously — for example, over coffee while chatting with a colleague about the pointless meeting you just sat through.” And despite tech advances, “how we connect, form relationships, and collaborate has not changed that much; these interactions come from sustained and regular contact, often in informal settings.” “If you seek success in your company or institution, you’ll be in the office most days of the week.”