Great post, but disagree with the statement that going remote reduces engagement, relationships, interaction, or productivity. I used to think this way, but after having several years experience, learned that this is not due to the working remotely.

Instead, in my experience, it is due to lack of managers and peer skills in utilizing the tools available, and needing to learn how to engage and build relationships in a different fashion. I had a boss that I worked for (remotely) that was one of the best relationships I ever had and we never even met in person for over a year. When we did meet in person it was during all day meetings offsite, and then a dinner. This manager had similar relationship with many others on the team as most were remote and spread across multiple countries.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, also from a previous life, I remember when I had an entire team onsite, but spent the majority of my day/week in my office behind a closed door on calls all day and did not make the effort to engage with the team (mine or larger) and build those relationships. In hindsight, the productivity and engagement suffered. Even though people were 20-50 feet away, they might as well have been continents apart.

In my experience, it's not the scenario of being onsite or being remote, it is the managers skill and the peer to peer efforts in using the tools for engagement and building those relationships that make the difference. Yes, some may need to adjust to working remote and exerting different efforts to build those relationships and engagements, but it's more than possible.

And really if we're being honest, who can't be more productive if they honestly put in the same work effort if they are not having to spend 3 hours extra a day dressing up, driving back and forth, going out to lunch, etc... That's at least 15 hours a week or 2 full days of work more than can be done with the same or less effort.
Really? Yes, I'm biased strongly for remote work. Of course I'm not big on small -talk. I find it mostly a waste of time that people could spend working. I know some like the in-person, on-site and while I do think there is some benefit in the in-person meetings and occasional meets, I really find that a couple / few times a year to be more than enough.