Is remote working still the preferred mode?

The paradigm shift towards remote work, catalyzed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, has thrust organizations and individuals into uncharted territory, prompting a profound reevaluation of traditional work arrangements and inspiring spirited debates about the long-term viability of remote work models. While the immediate benefits of remote work are evident - the elimination of commutes, increased flexibility, and a purported boost in productivity - a closer examination reveals a complex tapestry of opportunities and challenges that extend far beyond the confines of the home office. On one hand, remote work offers the tantalizing prospect of a more balanced, fulfilling work-life integration, liberating individuals from the constraints of the nine-to-five grind and empowering them to craft their own schedules. It has democratized access to employment opportunities, enabling organizations to tap into talent pools spanning geographical boundaries and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. Moreover, the reduction in commuting has yielded environmental benefits, with decreased carbon emissions and a reduction in traffic congestion heralding a potential shift towards a more sustainable future. However, amidst the celebration of progress, there lies a shadowy underbelly of challenges that threaten to undermine the utopian vision of remote work. The pervasive sense of isolation that accompanies prolonged periods of remote work can exact a toll on mental health and well-being, eroding the sense of camaraderie and social cohesion that often flourishes in the physical workplace. The blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, exacerbated by the omnipresence of digital devices and the relentless march of virtual meetings, has rendered the elusive quest for work-life balance an ever more elusive pursuit. Thoughts?

Now why everyone is talking about benefits of working from office? I saw post from Sunil Shetty on linkedin. My take is, when pandemic hit companies asked employees to WFH to keep wheel rolling. Now we know WFH can give greater control over personal and professional life(at least for me) we don’t want to go back to office. In my opinion corporate want us to work from office cause, - they can control our time, 9hrs in ofc, you are getting paid for time not skills. - they want to show who is the boss here. - Learning is key reason for WFO, bullshit, we have a lot of learning portals and traffic time can be used to learn but it is never a intention. What you guys think?

Does anyone here work at any remote startups that are based out of India? How is the work culture? How is the pay? Do we actually get paid in dollars? What's career growth?

Hey Fellow Grapeviners , I have created an anonymous Remote work survey to distinguish companies who offer Permanent Remote (Permanent WFH ) , Hybrid - Attendance , Compulsory office attendance companies and segregate them . Often there are some circumstances , which favour Permanent WFH , like ailing parents or young kid to look after , Also, the commute these days in most metros is painful and often tiring . Also, companies are leveraging war driven economic troubles to push and leverage for office attendance . There is still a section of employees who prefer WFH over WFO or Hybrid . These survey should help such people . Google Forms Survey link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxUekpfOIp-LoNpUvPQND4DdA0aGqbXiE7pFCb69FgN2yLbw/viewform The Google form Data Sheet : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mv4I0QZf1y7Gf7B48r_-DYVoDiF-IBq_aFT4GEDwlGg/edit#gid=0 Google form captures the information while it gets stored in a Google sheet for the same in flat way . Statistics sheet captures the data count of WFH vs WFO Vs Hybrid . Next 3 sheets segregate the date of WFH , WFO and Hybrid . Last sheet is the raw data in flat format . No need to log in to your Gmail account , You can also fill the survey form and access the Google sheet incognito. No name needed . This survey has some approximate 70 records from the time when it was posted on Reddit post on r/developersIndia , Please fill the survey form whenever possible . Let's help each other find our dream job with WFH or hybrid benefits. Do share this on other anonymous or semi anonymous forums , let's use organised information to our leverage . Please talk about this if possible, word of mouth mode . No karma is intended from this post , but do like this post so that it reaches to most people , IF somebody can pin this post for a day or two that would be great .

I know this is not what majority of people like to listen, but for people coming from other cities with no friends and poor social skills, working remote or hybrid starts taking a toll on your mental health. The isolation it brings is so overwhelming. You feel trapped and frustrated, when there's no one to talk to. Sometimes, I feel the quality of life of our kind of lower than street vendors at least they have people they can talk to. I just hate the way we are wired to be social animals yet find it overly difficult to connect with people.

I am being offered a role by a company that works remotely. Last time I worked too long at home, I developed severe anxiety issues cause I just stayed put inside home for wayy too long. I'm apprehensive about taking this offer due to the same reason. Is it good idea to take the offer since it's something I really want to get into but my health will also take a toll ig...

I was always used to working from the office. COVID changed the game and made remote mandatory. I didn't like it. I used to yearn to go to the office and finally changed jobs to an on site only role a year later just so that I could work from the office. But now I miss remote work. The one year sub consciously charged me. Interested to know some of your stories.