Out of Office audiobook cover - The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home

Out of Office

The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home

Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Peterson

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Categories:
Corporate CultureManagement & Leadership

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Key Takeaways from Out of Office

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Mind Map

Out of Office
The Remote Work Reality+
True Workplace Flexibility+
Work Culture & Priorities+
Office Innovation vs. Asynchronous Work+
Community & Zoom Towns+
Mindset Shift & Actionable Advice+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What did the authors discover about remote work after they moved to Montana to escape the New York commute?
  • A. It immediately provided them with ample free time for daily hobbies like hiking.
  • B. It resulted in work slowly creeping into every part of their personal lives.
  • C. It made them miss the collaborative environment and efficiency of a traditional office.
  • D. It caused their overall productivity to drop due to a lack of managerial oversight.
Question 2 of 7
According to the text, how can companies provide true workplace flexibility that actually benefits the employee rather than just the employer?
  • A. By classifying workers as independent contractors so they can set their own schedules.
  • B. By implementing an open-plan office landscape to increase task efficiency.
  • C. By hiring slightly more staff than strictly needed so employees can unplug without burdening coworkers.
  • D. By requiring all employees to work a strict four-day workweek regardless of project deadlines.
Question 3 of 7
Why do the authors argue that a company should NOT describe its workplace as being 'like a family'?
  • A. Because family relationships require emotional work, and our real families should always come first.
  • B. Because it creates an overly casual environment that reduces overall productivity and efficiency.
  • C. Because it discourages employees from setting strict guardrails around their email inboxes.
  • D. Because it leads to favoritism and complicates the professional development of new hires.
Question 4 of 7
How does the fully remote software platform GitLab successfully manage its asynchronous workforce?
  • A. By requiring all employees to log in simultaneously for a daily core-hours meeting.
  • B. By building a meticulously designed tech campus that caters to every employee need.
  • C. By utilizing Kona, a software platform that asks employees to evaluate their daily mood.
  • D. By having employees document their work and create 'README' pages detailing how they prefer to communicate.
Question 5 of 7
What is the primary goal of the 'Tulsa Remote' program mentioned in the text?
  • A. To attract software companies to build new tech campuses in the Midwest.
  • B. To pay selected remote workers to move to the city and actively integrate into the local community.
  • C. To provide local government jobs to recent college graduates who missed out on office culture.
  • D. To offer tax incentives for local businesses that allow their employees to work from home.
Question 6 of 7
What fundamental mindset shift do the authors suggest workers need to make in the era of remote work?
  • A. Recognizing that maximizing productivity should be the ultimate goal of remote work.
  • B. Accepting that the physical office is entirely obsolete and all work should be fully remote.
  • C. Realizing that our personal lives are more important than our work.
  • D. Understanding that remote work requires being available to employers at all hours to prove dedication.
Question 7 of 7
What actionable advice do the authors offer at the end of the text to help individuals reclaim their time?
  • A. Audit your own working habits by literally counting the hours you spend on tasks like emails and meetings.
  • B. Delete all work-related communication apps from your personal devices to establish firm boundaries.
  • C. Request a permanent transition to a four-day workweek from your manager.
  • D. Move to a 'Zoom town' to lower your cost of living and increase your quality of life.

Out of Office — Full Chapter Overview

Out of Office Summary & Overview

Out of Office (2021) is about working from home, and the bigger, more fundamental questions about contemporary work culture that remote work illuminates. How can we reimagine work to make our lives more meaningful?

Who Should Listen to Out of Office?

  • Workers curious about fleeing the office
  • Managers looking to rethink working practices
  • Anyone interested in the future of work

About the Author: Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Peterson

Journalist couple Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen moved from New York City to Montana in 2017. Warzel is a contributing writer at the Atlantic, where he writes the newsletter Galaxy Brain. Formerly, he worked for the New York Times and BuzzFeed. Petersen writes the newsletter Culture Study and has written three other books including Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation.

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