Leadership Lunch and Learn Book Review: Out of Office, Reviewed by Kristin Higgins

by Lisa Davis - July 2, 2024

In the latest Leadership Lunch and Learn series, Kristin Higgins with the Public Policy Center reviews a book about remote work outside the crisis of a pandemic. "Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home" by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Peterson explores the profound impact of remote work on individuals, organizations, and society at large. The authors are journalists who delve into the complexities and consequences of the shift to remote work accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Pros of Remote Work

Higgins said the book begins by examining the initial optimism surrounding remote work, highlighting its potential to increase flexibility, productivity, and work-life balance. The authors acknowledge the benefits of escaping the traditional office environment, such as reduced commuting time and greater autonomy over one's schedule. However, the authors quickly transition to a more critical analysis, questioning whether these benefits come at a cost.

Cons of Remote Work

According to Higgins, the authors explore the darker side of remote work, including its potential to exacerbate inequalities and erode boundaries between work and personal life. The book points out that while remote work offers opportunities for some, it also presents challenges such as isolation, blurred work-life boundaries, and increased surveillance by employers.

The book also addresses the broader implications of remote work on society, including its impact on urban centers, transportation systems, and economic disparities. Book authors raise important questions about who benefits most from remote work and who is left behind, as well as the long-term consequences for social interactions and community cohesion.

The book is part road map and part therapy. Higgins referred to the question, “What is better work?”

• Often less work or fewer hours
• Organization based on employees and managers preferred and most effective work times
• Consider child and elder care responsibilities
• Volunteer schedules
• Time zones

She said remote work can change your life by making you and your community happier and healthier, prompting more equitable labor at home, and helping people be a better friend, parent, and/or partner.

Community Development

The community section focused on how remote work can encourage community development.

Higgins shared how work should cease being the primary organizing facet of life. She said decentering of our jobs allows us to restructure our relationships with ourselves and communities. It would make you feel loved, understood, valued, and essential. The book suggests that we don’t jam pack your schedule so you’re too busy for community.

Throughout the book, the authors combine insightful analysis with compelling anecdotes and interviews with workers, employers, and experts in various fields. They challenge readers to rethink their assumptions about remote work and consider both its potential and its pitfalls.

Family Workplace

Higgins highlighted the notion that many organizations promote the idea of a family environment in the workplace. The authors say this is a red flag fostering a reframing of a transactional relations as an emotional one to do more with less. Other notable pitfalls to recognize:

• Family relations are not always good.
• Family comes first and family is your work.
• This idea breaks barriers and boundaries.
• A family environment tries to recreate romantic notion of a family business.

Ultimately, "Out of Office" is a thought-provoking exploration of a transformative phenomenon that continues to shape the way we work and live. The authors encourage readers to critically assess the future of work in a post-pandemic world where remote work has become both a necessity and a choice for many.

The Leadership Lunch and Learn Book Review series features leadership experts from across the south. Each presenter reviews a leadership development book. The series gives you the opportunity to hear the cliff notes version of many popular leadership development books. Join us for future book reviews.