as “how we do things around here.” The emphasis on assimilation often led to hiring employees who went to the same schools, listened to the same music and wore the same Patagonia vests. Those company cultures weren’t inclusive, so it shouldn’t be surprising that nonwhite employees, on average, actually report a greater sense of belonging The big takeaway from the two-year experiment we’ve just conducted in remote work: Everyone is different.
After all, before Covid-19, varied work arrangements weren’t that controversial. There were colleagues in satellite offices and teammates who worked from home. Some people shifted their schedule earlier to accommodate the school bus and others shifted it later to avoid rush-hour traffic. In general, we made it work, even when people’s preferences conflicted with each other.
Even now, it’s only a minority of people who never want to spend time in the office. Most would like to come in some of the time. And that’s a good thing, since part of working on a team is balancing your own needs with those of your teammates’ — whether that’s refraining from sending late-night emails that stress out your colleagues, or occasionally showing up in person because it makes someone else’s job easier.