You know, when a Tsunami hits there is always a counter reaction as the water gets pulled out first and then comes roaring back? I predict the same thing is coming relative to remote work and Zoom type meetings.
Yes, there is going to be an adjustment and a “blend” in which workers will be given the option to work from home “some” of the time, but they will also come into the office for meetings as deemed productive.
The funny thing is that companies are not going to be the ones that drive this counter wave.
It’s going to come from the people themselves who are literally getting sick . . . and tired . . . of being cooped up. They want to meet their friends at the office, in-person, see what everyone is wearing these days, catch up on personal gossip and hang around the coffee room to talk about their weekends. They want to drop in to each other’s offices and cubes for quick questions, grab a small group and head out to lunch and have drinks together after work.
You see, people are finding out that “work,” in many cases, is just another word for “life.” Yes, we are doing our jobs, but the experience is so much broader than that. It is where we socialize, collaborate, experience mentorship, learn new things, enjoy the satisfaction of helping others and the excitement of teamwork.
There have been volumes written about how social media, as one example, is splintering us. Isolation only adds to that dynamic. Our work provides a unifying cause as we collaborate toward common goals, no matter what may be going on politically in the world. It’s far too easy to “troll” from the safety of a home office. When we are working together, in-person, it brings out more of the best in us across social as well as business practices.
I bring this up because a lot of salespeople I know are wondering if it will ever come back to grabbing our bags and getting back out there. The answer is YES!!! Because the people will demand it!
Strategic consultants & Fortune 500 companies with outside sales organizations are betting the opposite. Let’s revisit this in 12 months & see what the state of outside sales organizations look like.