Remote Work or No Remote Work - That is the Question...

Shakespeare may not have imagined Zoom calls, but leaders today are still stuck with Hamlet’s dilemma: remote work, or not remote work?

Before Remote Was Even an Option

Before the pandemic, there was no debate. 5 days a week in the office - rain, snow, strikes (I’m French, after all), endless commute. That was just how work worked.

And honestly, I believed in it. I thought the office was the only place where real work happened. I couldn’t imagine doing my job from home. Covid proved me wrong.

After the initial panic, I quickly realised: if I wasn’t physically in the room, my work had to speak louder than ever. That meant clearer communication. Writing things down. Showing progress on purpose. Over-communicating wasn’t a choice - it was survival.

On the management side, it was tough. I had just onboarded a new team member, and I found myself calling them often. What I thought was being present quickly slipped into micromanagement. I wanted to support, but I ended up suffocating.

Since then, I’ve changed my mind. I used to think real work could only happen 100% in the office. Now, I’m more flexible.

But as more companies call people back full time, big questions come up. The real issue to me? We keep framing remote and office as if they’re in competition. They’re not rivals. They’re tools - each useful for different things, at different times.

It’s like asking: is a fork better than a spoon? Well, it depends what you’re eating.

What the remote vs. office debate is really about.

Different Needs, Different People

Not everyone thrives under the same setup. Some people need the structure of a 9–5 in the office - it helps them focus, avoid distractions, and feel less isolated. For new starters and more junior employees, in-person time is crucial for the learning curve: picking things up informally, understanding the work culture, building confidence, and feeling part of the team. Others may work better with the freedom of remote. One size simply doesn’t fit all.

Productivity vs. Presence

Offices used to reward visibility - who showed up first, who stayed the latest. Remote flipped that. Suddenly, it wasn’t about being seen. It was only about delivering. With remote work (or hybrid), everyone has to adapt. Leaders need to measure outcomes, not hours. Employees need to make their work visible, communicate progress, and be accountable. Productivity isn’t about where we are - it’s about what we deliver and how clearly we show it.

Equity & Inclusion

Remote work is a lifeline for parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities. But proximity bias is real. The people in the room often get more recognition and opportunity. Hybrid can unintentionally create two classes of employees: the ones at the table and the ones on the screen.

Culture & Belonging

Remote gives us focus, flexibility, and time. Office gives us connection, informal learning, and shared culture. Try to force one model on everyone and you’ll end up pleasing no one.

Leadership & Trust

Remote work doesn’t destroy trust - it puts it under the spotlight. For it to work, both sides have a role. Leaders need to set clear expectations, and employees need to make their work visible, stay reachable, and be accountable. When that balance exists, trust grows stronger, regardless of geography.

The Bigger Picture

Before Covid, remote work was rare. During Covid, it was forced. Now, it’s a choice - or at least, it should be.

Who should decide? Leaders. And the choice should be to lead with flexibility and trust. Because if the only way we can manage people is by watching them in a room, then we’ve already failed - them, and the system.

So maybe the real question isn’t remote work or no remote work. It’s: how do we design work around trust, outcomes, and human needs - with leaders creating the conditions, and employees stepping up with ownership and accountability?

Because in the end, it’s not spoon vs. fork. Both belong on the table - just like remote and office.