[Buttons840]

How can we make this happen? I've been thinking of this as a potential startup idea. What hardware/software can we build that would make companies feel comfortable with many remote workers, and also ensure those remote workers are able to collaborate and work efficiently?

[joncalhoun]

I've been remote for a long time now, but I don't see it working for everyone; I don't even think it would work for a majority of people. Many just lack the communication skills and discipline to make it happen, and there are many roles that can't be done remotely (doctors, janitors, cooks, etc).

Now what would be plausible is if we could get 10-20% of the workforce remote, and thinking about what that looks like. It might mean that at a remote-friendly company, something like 50% of the staff is remote so we need tools to help remote and in-office employees work better together.

It could also mean that parts of traditional organizations get broken into independent services. x.ai and clara labs both are great examples of how part of a traditional assistant's job is handed off to tech, but the same approach could be used to hand work off to remote employees. This would enable companies to hire fewer people for the in-office tasks, but it requires a rethinking of what each role's responsibilities are and might include sharing an assistant amongst a few execs rather than each having their own. These changes could have a big impact, but don't come directly from new technology. Still, I think they are worth considering when we imagine a more remote workforce.

[xtracto]

One reason I have heard people put forward against remote working has been "whiteboard brainstorming" (the absense of). While I think it deffinitely could be an issue, I think in the future Augmented Reality will remove the problem.

[bproven]

The comfort level would be: are you completing your projects on time? Good. You are not? (b/c goofing off at home instead of working) Goodbye! That would do it.

[Buttons840]

That's something employers have been able to do for thousands of years, and yet working remotely remains fairly rare. So I don't agree that "that would do it".

[bproven]

I don't know, I really think at its core it is that simple. I worked remote for 12 years as a developer, sysadmin/devops (multi-hat deal with a small company) with no issues whatsoever. I got my projects done. It does require discipline, good communication skills and a bit of organization, but if you don't have those skills already you are bound to fail in any endeavour IMO. But you are correct it is not common. Probably b/c historically: 1) there is the belief if we can't see you you are screwing around 2) Employers do take a chance that they are getting someone who does not have the skills to thrive in that type of environment (who wants to spend all the resources hiring/training to find out)

EDIT: Also if you have the skills to work remote (or partial remote) you will never want to go back to the old "must be in the office every day" job again ;)

[znpy]

> How can we make this happen?

The main problem here are power distribution and network connectivity.

Mobile data is an unfeasible option as monthly quota would be just too little, and there are some basic requirements in terms of bandwidth and latency (think of video-chatting with colleagues -- for example, during meetings).

[beached_whale]

Don't forget shipping. Trucks move a lot of stuff