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After Covid-19, the debate on distant work and office work has intensified. The appeal of working from home is undeniable: no commute, casual attire, and greater flexibility in scheduling and managing tasks. However, I’m convinced that for many organizations there is no substitute for personal work. It’s not about nostalgia, tradition or resistance to alter. It’s about maintaining the elements that determine success in business, similar to mentoring, career development, cooperation and speed of motion.
This is not a general argument. Some firms thrive on distant or hybrid work models. But in other cases – where real-time collaboration, spontaneous problem solving and face-to-face interactions are crucial – it’s hard to disclaim the advantages of working from work. For my part, I do not think my career would have progressed as quickly as I did before I began Dynasty, nor would Dynasty have been successful as a completely distant company.
Mentoring thrives in the office, not online
One of the advantages of office work is the strengthening of mentoring. After all, mentoring is an organic, dynamic and ongoing process that – at least in its most influential form – can’t be over-structured. Electronic meetings may be a great break from work, but such tightly scheduled meetings cannot foster the spontaneous interactions that fuel in-person learning in the workplace.
In the office, latest employees can see how experienced colleagues are dealing with challenges in the moment, allowing them to see how problems are solved on the spot. This is a much richer learning experience than most individuals can get from formal feedback. It’s the unplanned moments—a thought conveyed through the coffee machine, an impromptu chat between meetings—that shape skilled development. You cannot schedule a passing comment, and comments like these can change the way you think about the customer’s problem and unlock a strategy you hadn’t considered.
Remote work tends to flatten these opportunities. Virtual meetings have a clear agenda, and while they may be effective, they lack the spontaneity that mentoring requires. Working in person allows younger employees to accumulate not only technical knowledge, but also the unspoken elements of work culture – learn how to navigate office politics, build relationships and deal with pressure. They are essential to long-term career success, but are difficult to convey through a screen.
Being visible is a boon to career advancement
Visibility is crucial to career development, and the office provides an environment where contributions may be more easily recognized. In distant mode, work can go unnoticed, even with regular check-ins. Video calls don’t offer the same opportunities to showcase an initiative or implement an impromptu project. It’s easier to remain at the forefront when you are in the same room as your manager, actively participating in discussions or helping a colleague when they need assistance.
Being present in the office helps employees build informal networks, which may be just as necessary to career development as formal interactions. The person you seek advice from at lunch may grow to be a key advocate when a promotion opportunity arises. When you are present, you naturally appear in front of decision-makers more often, supplying you with a greater probability of constructing a positive impression. This exposure to leadership and the ability to attach with colleagues across departments opens pathways to latest roles or responsibilities that may otherwise go unnoticed in a distant work environment.
On the other hand, distant staff may struggle to take care of the same level of engagement and visibility. Despite your best efforts, a lack of physical closeness can result in missed opportunities. Out of sight, out of mind – an adage that unfortunately often rings true when it involves career advancement.
The irreplaceable synergy of private cooperation
Tools like Slack and Zoom have made distant collaboration easier, but they cannot replace working side-by-side with a team in the same room. The energy generated by face-to-face collaboration fosters creativity, problem-solving and innovation in ways in which digital platforms cannot replicate.
In the office, discussions are more fluid and dynamic. An concept that starts with a short conversation at a colleague’s desk can quickly turn into a full-blown brainstorming session. These moments are difficult to plan for, but they are essential to any successful business. In virtual meetings, the structure often stifles this sort of creativity. The emphasis on efficiency and time constraints mean that discussions rarely turn to the sometimes chaotic but often fruitful exchanges that happen in person.
Physical proximity promotes greater team cohesion. Employees can build relationships naturally by simply spending time together. These connections deepen trust and create a shared sense of purpose, making teams more practical. When people feel more connected, they work higher together, and the final result is a more modern and successful organization.
The strategic advantage of on-site feedback
In a dynamic environment, speed matters. The ability to make quick decisions may be the difference between making the most of an opportunity or missing it. When all or most of the key players are in the same space, information flows more freely and decisions may be made on the spot, without the delays and lack of spontaneity that come with long-distance communication.
When you are in the office, you’ll be able to all the time walk as much as a colleague’s desk and get immediate feedback on an idea, slightly than waiting for an email response or searching for time on someone’s calendar. Everyone knows that phone tag and fragmented communication tools slow things down. “Work from work” helps avoid these bottlenecks and increases productivity.
Remote work can even make teams more “isolated” because employees are probably to interact with their direct colleagues. This can limit communication between departments, reducing overall business awareness and collaboration. Working in an office helps break down these silos, allowing employees to build relationships and collaborate across teams, which is essential for innovation and agility.
Working in the office builds company culture
The distant work vs. office work debate is not going away, nor should it. Remote work has proven its value, especially when it involves flexibility and adapting to individual needs. However, for firms focused on growth, development and long-term success, maintaining a shared workspace still has enormous value.
An office is not only space. It’s culture. This is where mentoring happens, where careers are built and where teams come together to resolve problems, innovate and make decisions that result in success. For this reason, it is especially necessary for business leaders to obviously define policies regarding distant work and in-person work. Ambiguity or inconsistency between departments may cause confusion and frustration.
As time passes, firms must consider whether distant work, with all its advantages, can replicate the unique opportunities that arise when people work together face-to-face. For many, nothing can replace the richness that comes from working in the same space.