Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has openly expressed his preference for office work over teleworking, a position he shares with other technology leaders such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. In fact, he reiterated this idea by choosing Tokyo, Japan, as the city to establish his first office in Asia.
A reflection of this philosophy in the company that created the ChatGPT artificial intelligence model was the signing agreement to lease offices in San Francisco in fall 2023after which Altman called the remote work experiment one of the technology industry’s “worst mistakes.”
This movement underscores the belief that in-person work facilitates “really complex conversations”an opinion that he had already expressed in 2022, pointing out his satisfaction at returning to office dynamics after the coronavirus pandemic.
Altman’s comments on remote work have evolved over time. Although in 2014 he posted on Twitter his approval of teleworking “in many cases,” by March 2023, his position had changed significantly, indicating on the same platform, now called X, that Although it is possible to work remotely, it is preferable to do it in person.
“In my opinion, most tech companies that rushed to remote work permanently they made a serious mistakeand the cracks are starting to appear,” he said in a publication.
However, OpenAI recognizes the value of workplace diversity and inclusion, indicating that some of their “best people” are in remote locations. While Altman has noted that the company will continue to support these workers, emphasizing his stance should discourage potential candidates from joining OpenAI.
“If you hate San Francisco (offices), don’t let that stop you from applying to OpenAI,” he explained, thus recognizing that the preference for in-person work should not limit talent acquisition.
The advantages of teleworking include:
- Flexible schedule: It allows workers to adjust their work schedules to their personal needs, improving work-life balance.
- Save of time and money: The time and cost associated with traveling to and from the workplace is reduced.
- Productivity increase: Many workers report greater efficiency when working from a controlled environment without the distractions common to an office.
- Expansion of the labor market: Facilitates access to employment opportunities for people who live in distant geographic locations or have mobility difficulties.
- Cost reduction for companies: Reduced need for physical office space, which can result in significant savings.
The disadvantages of teleworking include:
- Professional and social isolation: The lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues can affect both the emotional well-being of workers and team cohesion.
- Difficulties separating work life from personal life: Without a physical office, some employees may have trouble disconnecting from work, affecting their work-life balance.
- Risk of overwork: Flexibility can lead to longer hours, especially without the structure of fixed office hours.
- Challenges in management and supervision: It can be more difficult for managers to monitor and evaluate the performance of their teams remotely.
- Cybersecurity: Teleworking imposes additional challenges in terms of protecting confidential information and preventing cyber attacks.
Despite the rejection of great technological leaders like Altman, the implementation of teleworking has grown significantly in response to the need for labor flexibility and as a measure to face exceptional situations that limit mobility and access to conventional work spaces.
