Remote Work Isn’t Broken
But the Way Most Companies Did It Might Be
For the past few years, companies have been in an ongoing tug-of-war over remote work. Some fully embraced it. Others resisted it. And now, many are calling employees back to the office.
But is remote work actually the problem?
Or did most companies never really become remote-first in the first place? 🤔
In next week’s episode of Leadership Explored, we’re diving into the realities of remote-first work—what actually makes it successful and why so many companies failed at doing it right.
The Real Reason Remote Work “Didn’t Work” for Some Companies
Here’s the thing: most organizations thought they had adapted to remote work… but they didn’t actually make the fundamental shifts needed for success.
Instead, they just moved their in-office culture online—without adjusting for the realities of remote collaboration.
❌ Bad meetings stayed bad (they just happened on Zoom)
❌ Culture remained office-centric (favoring in-person employees)
❌ Communication gaps widened (as leaders relied on old habits)
❌ Knowledge became harder to access (because documentation was an afterthought)
And then they blamed remote work when these problems became more visible.
But the truth is, remote work didn’t create these issues. It revealed them.
What It Actually Takes to Be Remote-First
Successful remote-first companies do more than just allow employees to work from home. They intentionally design their work culture to function without a physical office.
💡 Intentional Communication – Prioritizing async work & structured collaboration
💡 Well-Designed Meetings – Meetings that serve a purpose (or fewer meetings altogether)
💡 Strong Documentation – Tribal knowledge doesn’t work remotely—accessible knowledge does
💡 Strategic In-Person Gatherings – Even remote teams benefit from periodic connection
These aren’t “nice-to-haves”—they’re essential.
As Andy puts it in this episode:
"A bad meeting in the office is still a bad meeting on Zoom—it’s just more painful."
If a company’s leadership, communication, or processes were flawed before, they won’t magically improve in a remote environment. In fact, remote work amplifies poor leadership.
So before companies rush to bring employees back, they should ask themselves:
👉 Did we actually try to build a remote-first culture?
👉 Or did we just copy-paste our office habits into Zoom and hope for the best?
Episode 5: The Reality of Remote First – Why It’s More Than Just Location
🎙️ New episode drops Tuesday, May 20
In this episode, we break down:
✅ Why most companies failed at remote-first work
✅ The biggest mistakes organizations made when going remote
✅ Why in-person gatherings still matter for remote teams
✅ How to build a truly remote-first work culture that actually works
What do you think?
Is remote work flawed—or did companies just never commit to doing it right?
Join the conversation in the comments!
And if you found this valuable, subscribe to Leadership Explored so you never miss an episode. 🚀
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