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5 Answers
I think it amplifies what's already there. If someone is inherently accountable and ethical, remote work allows them to shine and manage their responsibilities maturely. If someone tends to cut corners or needs constant oversight, remote work might make it easier for those tendencies to surface. It's less about remote work *causing* these things, and more about it revealing them.
For many, the trust inherent in remote work *fosters* a greater sense of responsibility. When you're trusted to manage your own time and tasks, you often rise to the occasion to prove that trust is well-placed. The autonomy can be empowering and lead to higher quality work because you own it more. However, this requires a good company culture that values results over surveillance.
I believe it mostly leads to greater personal accountability. The lack of a manager physically looking over your shoulder means you *have* to be self-disciplined and organized. Those who can't manage that tend to struggle in fully remote roles. The ones who thrive are often very intrinsically motivated and hold themselves to a high standard.
Detachment is a real risk if not actively managed by both the employee and the company. Without regular, meaningful connection to the team and the company's mission, it's easier to feel like a 'cog in a machine' and for standards to slip because the impact feels less direct. Purposeful communication and virtual team building are crucial to combat this.
It depends on how performance is measured. If the focus is purely on easily quantifiable outputs without regard for quality or ethical process, then yes, autonomy could lead to cutting corners. But if performance includes qualitative aspects, collaboration, and adherence to values, then remote workers are just as accountable as in-office ones, if not more so because their work often speaks for itself without the 'theater' of being in an office.
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