Videos and instant messaging can not simulate real offices
Work from home is stressful as it is trying to simulate the real office. Basecamp has been promoting work from home for the past twenty years. Its employees are happy.
Jason thinks that working remote makes companies more resilient. He says, “Companies and teams are trying to simulate office meetings into video calls. There are perpetual video streams so that people can see everybody. This is the wrong approach. Teams should embrace mindset shift. It is giving people more time and attention to themselves.”
David says in the video, “Level the play field. Do status updates and pitches by writing and not through meetings. One should ration it out and do meetings when they matter.”
Jason Fried @jasonfried
Jason Fried (@jasonfried). Founder & CEO at Basecamp (formerly known as 37signals). Co-author of Getting Real, Remote…www.pscp.tv
Don’t put people on video chats and calls all the time. It should be fewer not more. Focus on asynchronous conversations such as writing emails or using collaboration software such as Basecamp. Organise Monday morning socials, where people talk about weekends. It is more valuable than the Monday meetings. Give more power to employees as they work on their own schedule.
Dig deeper: Jason and David discuss how they have been remote for the past 20 years. Link