Confusing Answers to the "Remote Work" Question
And How To Interpret Them
Most IT jobs are 100% remote under pandemic conditions. The key question is what will the work arrangement be long-term.
Asking the Right Question
In my last post I shared the dangers involved in navigating to 100% remote and the key question you need to ask:
The key question you should ask is this:
“After COVID restrictions are removed, will this position be 100% remote?”
The Answer Is Often Confusing
For some companies, it is not an easy question to answer, and you can expect responses that are something less than straightforward.
This is completely understandable. The decision to stay remote as an IT worker is a fairly easy choice, but the decision to go fully remote as an IT organization is much more complex and difficult.
Struggles within large companies are well documented:
Apple Employees Push Back Against Returning To the Office In Internal Letter
Google Exec Who Reportedly Opposed Remote Work Will Now Work From New Zealand
But this decision is also being addressed by thousands of IT organizations worldwide - large and small. The complexities can be significant. It is not simply an issue of executives wanting to maintain the control afforded by in-house work (though I see plenty of that). Every environment has its own challenges. Projects may have hardware elements or legacy environments that are difficult to duplicate or access remotely. Security and/or regulatory conditions may be a barrier or add costs that some shops can’t afford. Consulting organizations often need to comply with the needs/decisions of their customers. The disruption is real.
So the answer to what seems a simple question can be vague or confusing, and you have to read between the lines.
Translating the Answers
Here are some answers you may hear along with a translation:
Answer #1: “The current official policy is that everyone will be coming back into the office, but I don’t think this is going to happen. I expect this position to be 100% remote”
Translation: The decision to be full remote after COVID conditions is TBD. If you are committed to 100% remote long-term, you are taking a risk to move forward.
Answer #2: “Yes, this will remain remote, but there may be some travel.”
Translation: We are committed to remote work but believe in-person collaboration can be critical at key moments in our projects. Even if you are committed to full-time, permanent remote, this can be a good answer. Of course, you should follow up to ask how much travel, but if they are not referring to weekly travel then this is a great option which I’ve covered in a previous post:
Answer #3: “This position is definitely remote now. We will provide relocation costs if that becomes necessary.”
Translation: We are committed to onsite work after COVID restrictions. If you want to be 100% remote long-term, this is definitely not a good option.
Answer #4: “You are joining my team and our policy is to remain 100% remote.”
Translation: The company is handling this on a case-by-case basis allowing directors and/or managers to determine the policy at the team level. This is a common case and makes sense, especially within large organizations. Do not let this trigger a knee-jerk rejection - this can still be a good option. There may be some risk if the leadership were to change, but that level of risk is not more than many other risks associated with leadership change. If you have the opportunity to talk with leaders above the hiring manager, ask them how such a policy change would be handled.
Be Persistent
Being in IT, we’re all familiar with dealing with disruption and uncertainty. Some positions may be worth the risk. But be persistent. Keep asking questions until the the answer is clear, even if the answer is “at this point we don’t know.”
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