Return to Work (RTO)- The Lowest-Effort Product Ever Launched!
The Great RTO Rollback
Picture this: it’s the early 1970s. John Blankenbaker, the creator of the first personal computer, the Kenbak-1, is proudly showing off his invention. Enter Richard Skrenta, who would later write the first computer virus, lurking in the shadows of history. Fast forward to today, and imagine their conversation if Blankenbaker decided to ditch computers altogether because Skrenta’s virus made its debut.
The Kenbak-1 and the Great Pen-and-Paper Debate
John Blankenbaker: “I’m done. One virus, and this computer thing is officially too risky. Back to pen and paper!”
Richard Skrenta: “Wait, you’re scrapping the entire concept of computing because of me? I wrote one little virus as a joke!”
John: “Yes! Computers are clearly flawed. People can’t even trust their own machines anymore. Pen and paper never betray you.”
Richard: “But isn’t the point of invention to iterate? Fix the problem? You don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
John: “Iteration is too much work. Pen and paper are safe and familiar. No bugs there—unless you spill your coffee.”
Sound ridiculous? It should. Yet here we are in 2024, where the brightest minds in tech seem to have adopted the same rollback mentality with RTO. Instead of fixing the quirks of remote work, we’re scrapping it for an older model: RTO.
Watercooler Moments: The Most Overhyped Feature?
One of the big arguments for RTO is the fabled “watercooler moment.” Apparently, groundbreaking ideas happen when two people bump into each other while refilling their coffee mugs. But if we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that innovation doesn’t require proximity. Slack, Teams, Zoom—these tools are our new watercoolers.
So why the obsession with dragging everyone back to the office? It’s like saying, “Cars are fine, but wouldn’t walking everywhere be more nostalgic?” It’s not about efficiency—it’s about comfort zones.
Adult Professionals, Not 2-Year Olds
Let’s be clear: I’m not saying everyone should work remotely forever. What I’m advocating for is choice and flexibility. Your teams are made of adult professionals, not 2 years olds. This newfound hobby with clock-watching managers, attendance-taking VPs, and managers' getting pings when someone’s in their team had 1 day missing from 3 or 5 day of beingPhysically at work.... Next step may be— surveillance monitors in office shuttles or manager-led PTA meetings?... PTA will be FUN
Remote work wasn’t this micromanaged before the pandemic, so why is it suddenly treated like a corporate Big Brother experiment? Flexibility worked before, and it can work again—if we’re willing to trust our teams.
Life Decisions in Limbo
During the pandemic, many of us made life choices assuming remote work was here to stay. Peers of mine bought homes in suburban dreamlands, welcomed new family members, and set up cozy home offices. Now, RTO mandates feel like a sudden eviction notice. “Pack up your life and get back to the cubicle!”
The message is clear: your carefully planned life isn’t our problem. It’s hard not to feel like this is a rollback in both work and empathy.
The Myth of Increased Productivity
One of the supposed benefits of RTO is increased productivity. But let’s ask the obvious: is productivity about showing up, or delivering results? Remote work has already proven it works. The pandemic didn’t break productivity—it broke the illusion that work only happens in an office.
Can’t We Iterate Instead?
Remote work is like the Kenbak-1: an imperfect but groundbreaking product. Instead of rolling it back, we should iterate. Fix the bugs, improve the tools, and make hybrid models work. Innovation doesn’t mean reverting to old ways—it means finding better ones.
John Blankenbaker didn’t abandon computers because of a hypothetical virus. He saw their potential and pushed forward. It’s time for us to do the same with the future of work.
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