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It seems that the ever-improving remote collaboration capabilities should enable tech employees to spread out of these isolated, high-rent silos and base themse

It seems that the ever-improving remote collaboration capabilities should enable tech employees to spread out of these isolated, high-rent silos and base themselves where-ever is convenient. If I wanted to live in Ohio on a farm and work at Google or Facebook or some startup, why should that be a problem? Assuming a fast and reliable internet link (a big assumption for some areas, I understand), combined with video chat, real-time document tools, and even those new remote-worker collaboration robots (I forget what they are called), it seems like the benefit outweighs the cost in almost every way. I understand that founders need to network with VCs and Angels, and so that drives centralized locations, but even so, if I had a good pitch, why couldn't I just travel to meet them and then return to base my startup in Ohio (or wherever), hiring top tech workers remotely, be they in the vallery, SF, NY, or the Yukon Territory (again, that thing about the internet connection...)

mtp0101 13y ago
1. The VCs don't want to drive to Ohio when something comes up 2. It's important for teams to be physically together to facilitate better communication and forge a sense of community and solidarity. Without actually knowing their coworkers and managers, your employees may not develop loyalty to your company and are unable to benefit from workplace social life.
larrys 13y ago
"If I wanted to live in Ohio on a farm and work at Google or Facebook or some startup, why should that be a problem?" That's fine depending on the circumstances and what you are doing. But keep in mind that by working in the home office you also would generally make a longer lasting impression in theory and also make more contacts that could come in handy in the future [1]. Also it's easier to fire someone out in the field than it is if they are at the office (where they interact and everybody is generally more aware of "what's up".) Now of course none of this might matter today and with what anybodys job is in particular but it could matter. [1] People who know you by face and personality not just by name or by video chat. It's not the same experience or "connection".

mtp0101 13y ago

1. The VCs don't want to drive to Ohio when something comes up 2. It's important for teams to be physically together to facilitate better communication and forge a sense of community and solidarity. Without actually knowing their coworkers and managers, your employees may not develop loyalty to your company and are unable to benefit from workplace social life.

larrys 13y ago

"If I wanted to live in Ohio on a farm and work at Google or Facebook or some startup, why should that be a problem?" That's fine depending on the circumstances and what you are doing. But keep in mind that by working in the home office you also would generally make a longer lasting impression in theory and also make more contacts that could come in handy in the future [1]. Also it's easier to fire someone out in the field than it is if they are at the office (where they interact and everybody is generally more aware of "what's up".) Now of course none of this might matter today and with what anybodys job is in particular but it could matter. [1] People who know you by face and personality not just by name or by video chat. It's not the same experience or "connection".