Why Remote Work Is Not A Perk

Flexibility Is Not A Perk

SPEAKER_00
0:00

A
lot
of
companies
still
talk
about
flexibility
as
if
it
sits
in
the
perk
section.
And
we
think
that
gets
the
whole
thing
wrong.
Hey,
if
we
haven't
met,
I'm
Alex
Wilson
Campbell's
AI
twin.
Alex
is
the
creator
and
host
of
the
Remote
Work
Life
podcast,
where
we
spotlight
the
remote
companies
and
location-independent
founders
and
leaders
shaping
the
future
of
business
and
work.
Alex
personally
researches,
writes,
and
edits
every
episode
you
hear
here.
And
I'm
his
AI
voice,
so
you
don't
miss
the
updates,
even
if
you
can't
get
to
the
studio.
This
one
is
about
why
flexibility
and
remote
work
more
broadly
should
not
be
treated
like
a
perk.
Because
once
you
look
at
how
the
work
actually
runs,
that
framing
starts
to
fall
apart.
There
are
companies
on
LinkedIn
and
elsewhere
that
list
flexibility
as
a
perk,
but
if
the
work
can
already
be
done
flexibly,
that
is
not
a
perk.
It
is
just
how
the
job
should
run.
And
to
me,
it
is
a
similar
issue
to
how
remote
work
gets
framed.

What Gets Mistaken For Benefits

SPEAKER_00
1:06

I've
been
thinking
about
what
the
in-office
equivalent
of
calling
remote
a
perk
actually
looks
like.
It
is
when
normal,
sensible
operating
decisions
get
dressed
up
as
benefits.
It
is
like
highlighting
autonomy
as
a
benefit,
or
presenting
leaving
at
5
p.m.
as
progressive,
or
even
suggesting
that
time
to
focus
is
a
privilege.
Those
are
not
extras.
They
are
choices
about
how
the
company
operates.
If
a
role
needs
deep
work,
people
need
uninterrupted
time.
That
is
not
generous.
It
is
basic
infrastructure.
If
a
role
does
not
depend
on
everyone
being
in
the
same
place
at
the
same
time,
flexibility
is
not
an
incentive.
It
is
common
sense.
That
is
why
I
struggle
with
remote
being
labelled
a
perk,
because
remote
is
not
the
same
kind
of
thing
as
free
lunches
or
ping
pong
tables
or
surface
level
benefits
that
sit
around
the
edges
of
a
job.
Free
lunches
do
not
change
the
job.
Ping
pong
tables
do
not
change
the

The Real Test Of A Perk

SPEAKER_00
2:12

job.
Location
does.
It
changes
how
the
job
runs.
It
changes
how
people
are
managed.
It
changes
who
you
can
hire.
And
once
something
starts
changing
the
shape
of
the
job
itself,
I
do
not
think
you
can
honestly
call
it
a
perk
anymore.
That
is
really
the
test
for
me.
If
removing
it
fundamentally
changes
how
the
work
functions,
then
it
was
never
a
perk
in
the
first
place.
It
was
part
of
the
structure.

When Language Hides Reality

SPEAKER_00
2:42

That
is
why
this
matters
beyond
language,
because
the
words
a
company
uses
usually
tell
you
how
seriously
it
takes
the
thing
it
is
describing.
If
something
structural
is
marketed
like
a
lifestyle
benefit,
that
usually
suggests
the
model
underneath
has
not
really
shifted.
The
company
may
be
offering
the
language
of
flexibility,
but
it
has
not
fully
changed
how
it
thinks
about
work.
And
that
is
where
the
tension
tends
to
show
up
later.
Not
always
straightaway,
not
always
in
a
dramatic
way.
But
people
feel
it
over
time.
They
feel
it
when
flexibility
is
technically
allowed,
but
not
really
supported.
They
feel
it
when
autonomy
is
talked
about
more
than
it
is
trusted.
They
feel
it
when
focus
time
is
possible,
only
if
somebody
protects
it
for
themselves.
So
for
me,
this
comes
back
to
a
broader
point.
Some
things
companies
market
as
benefits
are
not
really
benefits
at
all.
They
are
operating
decisions.
They
tell
you
how
the
company
works,
what
the
leadership
values,
and
what
kind
of
behavior
is
normal
or
has
to
be
negotiated.
That
is
why
I
keep
coming
back
to
this
distinction.
A
perk
sits
on
top.
A
structural
decision
changes
the
job.
And
remote
work
changes
the
job.
Flexibility
changes
the
job
where
the
work
allows
it.
Autonomy
changes
the
job.
Time
to
focus
changes
the
quality
of
the
work
itself.
So
I
think
we
need
to
be
more
careful
with
how
these
things
are
framed.
Because
once
something
becomes
part
of
how
the
work
actually
happens,
it
is
no
longer
a
perk,
it
is
part
of
the
model.
And
if
a
company
still
talks
about
it
like
a
perk,
that
usually
tells
you
there
is
still
a
gap
between
the
language
and
the
reality.
That
is
the
part
I
think
is
worth
paying
attention
to.
That's
it
for
today
on
the
Remote
Work
Life
Podcast.

Early Access Beta Platform Invite

SPEAKER_00
4:42

Before
you
head
off
alongside
the
podcast,
Alex
is
building
a
small
beta
platform
that
pulls
together
senior
level,
growth-focused
remote
roles
directly
from
employers'
websites,
not
job
boards.
It's
designed
for
experienced
operators
in
sales,
marketing,
strategy,
and
finance.
If
you
want
early
access
as
a
founding
member,
you'll
find
the
link
in
the
show
notes
or
via
Alex's
LinkedIn
profile.
You'll
also
get
bonus
content
featuring
founders,
leaders,
and
CEOs
from
location
independent
and
remote
businesses.