The Pros and Cons of Remote Work, According to Business Leaders

Original article by Brit Morse, web producer for Inc.com

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Rousseau Kazi, co-founder and CEO of Threads, and Randy Nicolau, co-founder and CEO of Poppi, both run thriving companies. According to their website, Threads is a platform designed to make work more inclusive by empowering teams to discuss and make decisions at scale–basically, a tool to empower remote work. Poppin, on the other hand, is a company that believes in the physical office space, calling themselves “the effortless one-stop solution for your entire workspace.” These business leaders live on two sides of the remote work discussion that is top of mind for companies around the globe.

According to a recent CNBC article, “Today nearly two-thirds of U.S. companies have employees that work remotely, and research indicates the remote work will equal, if not surpass, fixed office locations by the year 2025.” As employees trade conference rooms for their couches, we have to wonder: How will this impact company cultures and connections? Will it hurt productivity? Are there certain industries that simply can’t be remote?

In the Inc.com Q&A, Kazi and Nicolau share their insights and expertise into the pros and cons of remote work.

On productivity:

Kazi: Companies and leaders have to trust their employees. Giving them the flexibility of “Hey, go where you need to go to get your best work done” is a net benefit.

Nicolau: There’s a reason I don’t work from home. Some people don’t have the discipline. I know I will be more productive in a work environment. And some need the social interaction they get in an office.

Of course, there are ways to improve productivity when working remotely. Just ask HubSpot. From setting up a dedicated workspace (not on your couch) to working the hours when you’re most productive, there are ways to combat being your own worst enemy while working from home.

Kazi and Nicolau have much more to share on the pros and cons of remote work beyond productivity. Read the full article on Inc.com.

Chris Ewing