On March 12th 2020 the world changed
In the 15 months since remote work has accelerated 15 years into the future
Where prior to the pandemic only 3% of the US workforce worked remotely full-time, after the pandemic 10X that number will
[ a thread] 💻🏠🌍
In the 15 months since remote work has accelerated 15 years into the future
Where prior to the pandemic only 3% of the US workforce worked remotely full-time, after the pandemic 10X that number will
[ a thread] 💻🏠🌍
The numbers 📊
3–4M full-time workers operated remotely full-time in 2018
By 2030 that number looks set to grow to at least 80M workers
I expect that number to increase dramatically as millions of workers experience normal, healthy remote working for the first time
3–4M full-time workers operated remotely full-time in 2018
By 2030 that number looks set to grow to at least 80M workers
I expect that number to increase dramatically as millions of workers experience normal, healthy remote working for the first time
Pandemic Remote🦠
What people have worked through in the last 15 months has been the worst possible version of remote work
Lockdowns, homeschooling, unable to travel, can’t see friends, little freedom to do the things that make us happiest
What people have worked through in the last 15 months has been the worst possible version of remote work
Lockdowns, homeschooling, unable to travel, can’t see friends, little freedom to do the things that make us happiest
Normal Remote 🚀
As a result, workers have not been able to experience the intangible benefits of remote
The things that make it 10X better than working in an office full-time.
These things obviously won’t return immediately, but eventually they will
As a result, workers have not been able to experience the intangible benefits of remote
The things that make it 10X better than working in an office full-time.
These things obviously won’t return immediately, but eventually they will
The Future 🔮
The rush of investment in solving problems remote workers have always faced will lead to many of them being better addressed than in the past
This investment will lead to the core infrastructure needed to enable remote work more easily to emerge rapidly
The rush of investment in solving problems remote workers have always faced will lead to many of them being better addressed than in the past
This investment will lead to the core infrastructure needed to enable remote work more easily to emerge rapidly
Remote Infrastructure 🎡
The thing standing in the way of companies going remote or becoming more remote friendly is typically the ease in which it can happen
As these barriers to entry get removed, remote becoming exponentially more widespread becomes almost inevitable
The thing standing in the way of companies going remote or becoming more remote friendly is typically the ease in which it can happen
As these barriers to entry get removed, remote becoming exponentially more widespread becomes almost inevitable
Coming Disruption 🧨
What happened to companies that didn’t adopt computers in the 1990’s?
What happened to companies that didn’t implement software in the 2000’s?
What happened to companies that didn’t embrace the internet in the 2010’s?
What happened to companies that didn’t adopt computers in the 1990’s?
What happened to companies that didn’t implement software in the 2000’s?
What happened to companies that didn’t embrace the internet in the 2010’s?
Remote Revolution 👊
What enabled each of those revolutions to happen was massive investment in each of these areas that led to tremendous innovation.
What happens to every company that doesn’t become remote?
What enabled each of those revolutions to happen was massive investment in each of these areas that led to tremendous innovation.
What happens to every company that doesn’t become remote?
Working Preferences 📈
The data coming from internal surveys by companies of their own people tell us how revolutionary this will be
Habits and behaviors have calcified over 15 months and workers now know almost every knowledge-based job can be done remotely
The data coming from internal surveys by companies of their own people tell us how revolutionary this will be
Habits and behaviors have calcified over 15 months and workers now know almost every knowledge-based job can be done remotely
Genies out the Bottle🧞♂️
Who wants to go back to wasting their life sat in a pollution emitting steel box, living in an expensive city with hard any disposable income, leaving behind family and friends in pursuit of opportunity when they no longer need to?
Who wants to go back to wasting their life sat in a pollution emitting steel box, living in an expensive city with hard any disposable income, leaving behind family and friends in pursuit of opportunity when they no longer need to?
Mass Resignation 🏃♂️
A recent report by Bloomberg stated that 40% of workers would rather quit than go back to the office full-time
For Millenials that number was even higher: 50%
Companies who try will find out whether workers mean it
A recent report by Bloomberg stated that 40% of workers would rather quit than go back to the office full-time
For Millenials that number was even higher: 50%
Companies who try will find out whether workers mean it
The suggestion 📣
Some of the largest tech companies on the planet announced intentions to go back to the office full-time
What followed was talent telling leaders that if they went through with the plan they would quit for remote competitors
Some of the largest tech companies on the planet announced intentions to go back to the office full-time
What followed was talent telling leaders that if they went through with the plan they would quit for remote competitors
The Response 😥
The capitulation was inevitable. How quickly it happened was the only surprise.
The trends of massive companies changing their approach to remote work suggests they have already realized that many people will follow through on this promise to leave
The capitulation was inevitable. How quickly it happened was the only surprise.
The trends of massive companies changing their approach to remote work suggests they have already realized that many people will follow through on this promise to leave
Why now? 🤔
Many of us live and work in a knowledge based economy. Sit at a desk and do most of your work on a computer? You are a knowledge worker
Stand a whiteboard and brainstorm ideas regularly? You are a knowledge worker
Many of us live and work in a knowledge based economy. Sit at a desk and do most of your work on a computer? You are a knowledge worker
Stand a whiteboard and brainstorm ideas regularly? You are a knowledge worker
The Knowledge Economy 🧠
In a knowledge economy, companies are the people they employ
Don’t have the most talented people? You aren’t likely to be the most talented company in your space
In a knowledge economy, companies are the people they employ
Don’t have the most talented people? You aren’t likely to be the most talented company in your space
How big could remote work be? 🌍
Not every job can be done remotely
The roles we are talking about are typically desk jobs
How many desk jobs are there in the world? 255M
Not every job can be done remotely
The roles we are talking about are typically desk jobs
How many desk jobs are there in the world? 255M
How many jobs will be remote? 🧮
There will of course be some pullback as companies try to return to the status quo
What decides how many people work remotely won’t be companies
It will be their people demanding it by rejecting a return to the office
There will of course be some pullback as companies try to return to the status quo
What decides how many people work remotely won’t be companies
It will be their people demanding it by rejecting a return to the office
How do workers feel about the office? 😭
95% never wanting to work in an office again-full time
70% want to work remotely 3+ days per week
40% want to work remotely full-time
95% never wanting to work in an office again-full time
70% want to work remotely 3+ days per week
40% want to work remotely full-time
Sceptics remain 🚨
Issues such as the burden of childcare, isolation, mental health, not having enough space in tiny apartments are fair questions asked of remote
Those things are challenges of pandemic-enforced work from home
Issues such as the burden of childcare, isolation, mental health, not having enough space in tiny apartments are fair questions asked of remote
Those things are challenges of pandemic-enforced work from home
Potential Answers ✅
As lockdowns ease, childcare returns
As things start to unlock your ability to spend time working in coworking spaces around other people, grab coffee with friends, or work from a coffee shop a few hours a day becomes a possibility
As lockdowns ease, childcare returns
As things start to unlock your ability to spend time working in coworking spaces around other people, grab coffee with friends, or work from a coffee shop a few hours a day becomes a possibility
Young People 🌆
Young people living in shared apartments is more an implication of the high cost of living in cities, and needing to be close enough to commute daily rather than an issue with remote work
Young people living in shared apartments is more an implication of the high cost of living in cities, and needing to be close enough to commute daily rather than an issue with remote work
Remote isn't what some people think it is? ❌
Remote work does not mean you never see your teammates
Remote work does not mean you work from home every day
Remote work means working from wherever you do your best work
Remote work does not mean you never see your teammates
Remote work does not mean you work from home every day
Remote work means working from wherever you do your best work
Progress ⚙️
This is about evolving from the industrial revolution of work being designed for the collective
Remote work is about empowering every individual to design work around their own requirements in order to do the best work they have ever done
This is about evolving from the industrial revolution of work being designed for the collective
Remote work is about empowering every individual to design work around their own requirements in order to do the best work they have ever done
The Future of Living ☀️
Remote work isn’t just the future of work. Most people really don’t care about that
Remote work is the future of living. That is something everyone can get behind
The bull case for remote work
Remote work isn’t just the future of work. Most people really don’t care about that
Remote work is the future of living. That is something everyone can get behind
The bull case for remote work
The Bull Case for Remote Work 🎯
Applying those statistics to the overall number of remote work provides a compelling argument towards the belief that a majority of the desk jobs globally will be done remotely a majority of the time by 2030
Applying those statistics to the overall number of remote work provides a compelling argument towards the belief that a majority of the desk jobs globally will be done remotely a majority of the time by 2030
By 2030 📆
An astonishing 97% of want to work remotely after Covid
50%+ want to work remotely a majority of the time
At that scale, 128M+ jobs will be done remotely at least 3 days a week by 2030
If we hit the higher end of that spectrum 247M+ jobs will be done remotely
An astonishing 97% of want to work remotely after Covid
50%+ want to work remotely a majority of the time
At that scale, 128M+ jobs will be done remotely at least 3 days a week by 2030
If we hit the higher end of that spectrum 247M+ jobs will be done remotely
The Remote Work Dilemma 🔐
Every company will be forced to go remote and become increasingly remote in order to remain competitive. Inevitably, more people will become remote as a result.
Every company will be forced to go remote and become increasingly remote in order to remain competitive. Inevitably, more people will become remote as a result.
Competitive Advantage 💪
Any company less remote than it’s biggest competitor will be:
Less Talented: can only hire the best person they can afford in a 30-mile radius
Less Cost-Efficient:have to pay $10K-$50K per worker every year on office space
Any company less remote than it’s biggest competitor will be:
Less Talented: can only hire the best person they can afford in a 30-mile radius
Less Cost-Efficient:have to pay $10K-$50K per worker every year on office space
How Office Companies Perish 💀
Office-first companies will bleed talent while their costs remain flat, while their biggest competitors become more talented with lower overheads
Office-first companies will bleed talent while their costs remain flat, while their biggest competitors become more talented with lower overheads
Replace of eCommerce vs. Stores 🛍
eCommerce crushed physical stores because it has better:
- Cost
- Choice
- Convenience
Remote companies crush office-first companies for the same reason
eCommerce crushed physical stores because it has better:
- Cost
- Choice
- Convenience
Remote companies crush office-first companies for the same reason
Welcome to the Future 🚀
The habits and behaviours that have calcified since make it almost impossible for anyone to go back to the office full-time.
And the longer it lasts the more people who want to go to the office less
Full-time office work is dead
Long live remote work
The habits and behaviours that have calcified since make it almost impossible for anyone to go back to the office full-time.
And the longer it lasts the more people who want to go to the office less
Full-time office work is dead
Long live remote work
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
