Young people no longer want to be in the room where it happens
A viral video put me at the center of the remote work debate.
Nothing has accelerated my career more than working in-person at an office.
I posted a video on the importance of “being in the room” on LinkedIn last week and it struck a nerve — nearly five million views, hundreds of comments and a flood of messages.
Not all the attention was pleasant. Some took it as an opportunity to call me an authoritarian, out of touch, and stupid.
One person called me “a boomer in Gen Z clothing.”
But especially for those early in their careers, something important gets lost when you trade proximity for independence. Thousands of invisible calibrations happen each day when you sit shoulder to shoulder with your peers.
I’ve seen firsthand how working remote can erode trust and serendipity — two things that make a team more than a sum of its parts.
These work like static electricity. They only spread to who’s nearby.
Physically showing up introduces a healthy friction, even if it doesn't register on a spreadsheet.
Think of what happened to the millions of students forced onto Zoom. Pandemic learning led to a decline in skills, stunted relationships, and lower test scores across grade levels.
Work isn’t so different.
Now, this is not to say I romanticize cubicles or fluorescent lights.
It’s true that remote work has broadened who can participate in the economy. Parents of young children, people in rural areas, and those with disabilities all saw meaningful wins from this pandemic-era shift. So did super-commuters.
Yet it remains true that every pivotal moment in my career — promotions, big assignments, new mentors — has come from being in the room.
Not because I knew the right people, but because I made it easier for the right people to know me.
The way I see it, remote work optimizes for balance, while in-person unlocks transformation. People should choose which organizations they work at based on whether they want flexibility or career acceleration.
Each has its place. It’s harder than ever to have both.
Phil Rosen
Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief of Opening Bell Daily
I want to hear from you. What’s your take on remote work? Reply directly to this email or leave a comment on this post.
For more of my recent essays on work and careers:
