Over the last two months I’ve spoken to 10 x Billion $ companies about their plans for return to office, hybrid, and remote work.
A few predictions on what most companies will do in 2022.
☠️ Office Death: If you go to the offices of big tech companies, out of thousands of seats only 2-3% are used on a daily basis. Workers want the flexibility to choose when or if they come. Leases are expiring and not being renewed — companies won’t have space to ever return.
????City Flight: workers aren’t returning to the cities their offices are in. Many will end up quitting their jobs if their companies try to force them back to the office.
????Rural Living: many people, particularly those with families, will move to have more space, bigger homes. ‘Second-tier cities’ will do very well as people move back to the areas they are from.
????Hybrid Conflict: what companies think hybrid work is and what workers think it is are two different things. Workers think it means being able to work remotely whenever they want. Companies think it means telling workers when they must attend. Huge resentment is happening.
????Construction Cancellation: perfect storm of high commodity prices and empty offices will lead to far less being built. There will be a huge deficit in high quality spaces optimized for remote workers when they do come together physically.
????Global Hiring: almost everything company will begin expanding the areas in which they hire. Remote work will democratize access to the best opportunity even more rapidly over the next 6-12 months.
????Offsite Explosion: Most companies will lean into remote off sites in 2022 as things normalize. There will be a big push forward on things that build communication and collaboration skills.
????Hyper Turnover: workers have seen how their companies intend to remote work. Many don’t like what they have seen. We are about to live through the highest period of turnover between companies in history as people find the company who gives them what they need.
????Micro Coworking: spaces close to home will rise rapidly for people who don’t want to or can’t WFH. This will be a home on every street, kitted out with the right furniture, great coffee, and on demand fitness equipment.
????Office Furniture: the best companies in the world will care about their people the most. Making sure workers are as safe, comfortable and productive at home as in an office is essential. Great companies will do this. Bad ones won’t.
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Invest in high-quality office chairs that are designed to prevent musculoskeletal issues and promote proper posture.
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????Async Emerges: remote work has lasted so long people are fatigued by the office being replicated remotely. Being in video calls all day makes you feel busy but crushed productivity. Most companies are looking to become more async as a result.
⛓Habits Fixed: remote work has lasted so long, some behaviors will be almost impossible to change. By the time people can go back into the office safely, remote work will have been the norm for millions of people for over 2 years.
????Commuting Death: no matter what companies try workers will never accept commuting 2H a day again. Companies who don’t realize this will push their best people out the door.
????Remote Savings: spending $10K-50K per worker on office space each year will never happen again. Companies won’t just save this cash, they will use it to retain and attract great people.
????????Remote Domination: Office companies will hire the best person in a 30-mile radius. Remote-first companies will hire the best person in the world. Quickly, remote companies will be far more talented than remote companies.
❤️Remote Communities: workers living closer to other friends, family, or people with similar hobbies who all work remotely. Shared childcare, living closer to the things that make them happiest, all while continuing to do great work.
????Childcare: Businesses understand children can be at home during work. Great ones are spending a lot of time thinking about how they can help parents. This is huge for diversity, equity and inclusion – and shows those who really care about it.
⭐️Remote Experience: The best businesses to work for in the office era improved quality of life with the things you could do + get at the office. The best companies in the Remote era will do the same, letting everyone chose their own perks that improve their quality of life.
Why do these companies talk to me?
Chris Herd is CEO of @FirstbaseHQ – enabling a billion people to access a higher quality of life via remote work.
