What Silicon Valley traffic taught me about work’s future
I love people and the energy and connection found at the office, yet my company has just gone all-in on a remote-first workplace model. After years of resisting it, I got on board because the way work happens has changed. I realized that to build the company we need to become, we needed to adapt. I haven’t stopped believing in the value of people being together, so what shifted for me? Driving to…
When I observed the heavy traffic in Silicon Valley during my workday, it struck me how employees were adjusting their schedules to avoid congestion. This observation led me to question the necessity of our traditional office model. My company recently transitioned to a remote-first workplace, and I recognized that the old office routine was no longer aligned with employees' lives or the company's needs.
We are in the process of redefining our structure, aiming to become flatter, leaner, and AI-native. Leadership must listen to employees, as their work patterns have changed since the onset of remote work following the COVID pandemic. Hybrid models are prevalent, but many employers are tightening office requirements. A 2025 Cisco study revealed that despite a global trend toward more office work, 63% of respondents would accept a pay cut to work remotely more often.
As a leader, I now question whether our workplace model truly fosters optimal performance. We could consider shifting from prioritizing physical seats to focusing on meaningful results, and recognize that remote-first does not mean remote-only. Intentional connection is vital, and we can achieve this through purposeful in-person time.
Lastly, embracing remote-first can broaden access to talent, enabling a more flexible and modern operating model.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
