Written by Farissa Knox, COACT President

A couple of years ago when we thought we were in our new normal, post Covid lives, there was an extreme demand from employees, across multiple generations, to continue working from home exclusively with adamant declarations that there was no reason to go back to the office, lots of businesses opted to not return to a physical space for the immediate benefits it provided: little to no rent and, what seemed like, happy employees. But now that we are 2+ years post this reality, the young professionals with the most growth potential are realizing that there are things they are missing out on, that truly benefit, by working for an exclusively remote company.  

The Art of The How: 

It’s obvious now to most of the working world that if you give a competent employee a laptop, access to reliable WIFI, and set reasonable expectations, they will be able to do the job that you hired them to do. But the moment the company needs more from them, there is no guarantee they will be able to deliver or even have the knowledge base that comes from watching others do their job, asking and answering questions while it’s happening, and making mistakes in real-time. Knowing what your coworkers do is very different than knowing how they do it and the secret to sticky skill sets and abilities is learning ‘the how’. 

Career Growth vs. A Raise: 

There are some organizations where growth only looks like more money, the longer you successfully work there. Some employees are happy with that dynamic and don’t need more responsibility and personal growth at work to feel fulfilled. Others are looking to expand in knowledge, responsibility, rank, and finances. This kind of career growth requires mentorship, for others who have decision-making power to see you in action and continue learning from others. 

People’ing: 

There is so much about the human experience of interacting with other humans that can be hidden, faked, or become non-existent when the interaction is had virtually. This might not matter to everyone, but there are levels to getting to know people that can only to achieved by spending time with them in person. Clients. Bosses. Co-Workers. Friends. Employees. And if we are truly invested in these relationships being genuine and authentically productive, we are leaving out a major component if we are not spending time, in person, working, growing, and learning together.