It's not that I can't fathom that the other one exists, or even that it would be attractive to significant parts of the population, it's that I can't fathom that I'd ever change my personal preference, no matter how much of the other one I get forcibly exposed to.
So, I'm expecting a reality where, for workers with the luxury of this sort of choice, this will become an early "disqualifying question" while job hunting: are you remote or on-site? (It probably already is that disqualifying question, just not quite as prominently yet.)
Maybe I'm just old but I want to share a space with the people I'm working with and, yes, it seems obviously superior to remote.
I wouldn't say it was the deciding factor, but when I got an offer from a smaller place working in person, I took a significant pay cut to go back into a (very cool) office.
I’m older and would never work in an office again. It feels like a lot of those who want to go back in the office want to do it for social support reasons (lonely, single, don’t get on with family…).
The thing is having to be the social support for co-workers is one of the things that makes working in an office so horrible for many of us. It feels like a lot of people want to burden their co-workers with social roles that are better filled pretty much anywhere else.
Some folks are looking for new relationships, especially those just starting their career or moving to a new ciry. Ideally they find other like them, rather than 'burdening' people who don't care
I certainly hope you at least pay your coworkers the modicum of respect of getting vaccinated first [0].
There's a surprisingly large population in the tech community that want to follow your approach of "don't get vaccinated and hope everyone else does". I can respect that a bit if you at least want to continue to adhere to basic social distancing and pandemic safety guidelines.
If I do return to an office it would certainly only be for companies that require a vaccine before returning to an office.
I hire for a startup that was remote first before Covid. In the first conversation with any candidate, I always ask "have you worked remotely before or do you know what it's like? Are you confident you can both be happy and productive working remotely?"
So, I'm expecting a reality where, for workers with the luxury of this sort of choice, this will become an early "disqualifying question" while job hunting: are you remote or on-site? (It probably already is that disqualifying question, just not quite as prominently yet.)