Totally Disagree With This

I just read a post by someone in my network that said:

“There are two ways to go about working with remote employees — either hire freelancers or choose managed remote employees for your business using the Staff Augmentation Model.”

It’s hard for me to understand how they really believe that.

They really believe that remote employees shouldn’t be employees at all, but instead a freelancer or labor hours owned and rented out by an agency?

In 2021?

This can’t be real.

Back in the 1990’s, sure. Even 2000’s through…I’ll give them 2015. Ok, sure.

But, in 2021?

This is an outdated philosophy about work and since the pandemic, I’m wondering how many people still think that remote people must be in a status that

1. makes it easy to cut them loose and discard them when you’re done or
2. makes it someone else’s responsibility to provide training, support, and leadership for them.

People aren’t just disposable items and it’s unfortunate that this must be said.

Remote working should not automatically make someone less valuable or place them on the chopping block for termination as soon as it’s most convenient for the company.

Listen, I understand (and most people do) that remote work does not work for every company, culture, or leader.

Some leaders have preferences and they have the right to build their organization around those preferences. However, most importantly, they should be upfront about it. If you don’t like your team working remotely, don’t act like you’re okay with it because of industry pressure and then you’re silently resentful of the employees who exercise the option.

Instead, just be upfront — NO REMOTE WORKING.

That should be stated in job postings.

It should be written in company policy.

And it should be no issue with the employees who choose to work for you.

Transparency wins because there are people (many!) who want to come into the office every day.

On the other hand, if remote working IS your thing, trying to shame other companies into submission doesn’t work. Actually, it causes many leaders to dig their heels in even deeper and justify their reasons for not allowing it, whether those reasons make rational sense or not. But, that’s another topic for another day.

If you don’t like your team working remotely, don’t act like you’re okay with it because of industry pressure and then you’re silently resentful of the employees who exercise the option.

Note: There might be typos in this post. Autocorrect on phones can be such a gem 😉

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