If you sit physically next to your colleagues, you can at all times see what they are working on, talking to each other about, etc., and thereby learn more about the project and the company; if you work remotely and have to explicitly choose to communicate, you miss out on all of that.

[–] jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I haven't been in an office since 2020, but the 15 years prior that I spent numerous offices taught me that much of corporate life is spent dealing with office politics instead of accomplishing anything meaningful.

Those "water cooler conversations" that executives are so keen on are mostly spent shootin' the breeze or complaining about how Bob from marketing is a fucking moron.

Turns out when people step out for a break or head to the water cooler, they don't want to talk about work. Shocking, I know.

[–] Aviandelight@mander.xyz 3 points 1 week ago

I never had any productive water-cooler conversations but I have had many eye-opening and productive smoke breaks with colleagues when that was a thing. The smoking area was the great equalizer that these companies are waxing nostalgic about.

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