The Value of an in-Person Office Environment

In a distributed work environment, seeking authority from higher-ups can be disastrous for an organization. Instead, simple check-ins with colleagues become important for avoiding mistakes and being sensitive. However, remote work can make these check-ins more formal and less frequent, impacting psychological safety. While there are preliminary indications that psychological safety is compromised when working remotely, more data is needed to fully understand the impact. In-person work environments allow for easy communication and connection, but in a remote setting, speaking up and learning from others becomes harder and requires deliberate effort to overcome the increased obstacle.