There has been much that has been said in technical journalism about the wide reaching and “universally beneficial” effects of remote work. I don

Remote Work is a Disaster for the Next Generation of Engineers

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2024-11-07 19:00:05

There has been much that has been said in technical journalism about the wide reaching and “universally beneficial” effects of remote work. I don’t plan on restating any of them. Instead, I want to focus on the experiences of junior engineering talent, a perspective that I find is constantly ignored in these discussions.

It makes enough sense. Those authoring the published literature are always among the most senior in terms of industry experience. Their anecdotes are one of greater time savings, more flexibility, a more diverse workforce under them. It’s the new normal everybody, nothing to see here, move along, etc.

When I say junior engineering talent, I’m referring to the youngest part of the workforce: those in or have just recently graduated college, generally starting their first foray into their career industry. Unlike the rest of the workforce, these employees probably have little to no experience working in any office, let alone a remote one. They often have underdeveloped interpersonal skills and no established industry relationships. At the same time, these workers represent the foundation of the next generation of engineers.

They are an investment in the future, but an investment that is being sabotaged by the way that most companies choose to approach remote work.

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