HACKER Q&A
📣 cgb223

What do you think the future of remote work will look like post-Covid?


There's been a lot of talk about San Francisco and other tech hubs essentially becoming abandoned as their tech workers all go remote and move to better cost of living areas.

In the same light, some major tech companies and many startups are pivoting to make remote work software to help the transition.

However, most of those tech companies don't have a long term Remote policy except for very special cases like high performers and so on.

How will the future of remote work look for ICs/Managers? How do you think cities will be effected, if at all?

Is there really going to be a remote work revolution, or are we just saying that because we're all stuck in our homes until COVID is eliminated?

  👤 matt_s Accepted Answer ✓
Having a team with someone remote should force remote first communication practices. This pandemic is going to go on for a while, meaning months and months are likely. If you have the factor of someone on your team being in a high risk category, it feels like there is an obligation to let them be remote 100% until the pandemic subsides. Combine those two and I think if I were in charge of a lease on a building/space I might look at reducing the footprint if there are enough people going remote. Why pay for all that floor space?

There might be a revolution in the tech sector in the sense that remote only/first could be something to attract workers because they could live anywhere and make the going rate for their skills. There are a lot of engineers that don't really care about perks like relaxation pods, meals provided, snacks or whatever.

It might also give some companies a competitive advantage - no leasing office space.