Why remote work might be up for debate

WGSN explores how we will work in the future, with a focus on the remote work model that may be more a bane than a boon on closer inspection.

At WGSN, we’re able to provide trend forecasting from our eyes on the ground thanks to our global team of experts all over the world. Most of us have the privilege of working remotely, giving us a good reason to start off our new podcast, titled Lives of Tomorrow, on the topic of work.

Hosted by WGSN’s CEO Carla Buzasi, this podcast series focuses on the Lives of Tomorrow, featuring an industry expert each episode. This week it’s Allyson Rees, Senior Strategist at WGSN, who is the author of our The Future of Work report and also a guest on our Create Tomorrow podcast episode where we explore the future of hybrid work.

We examine the key issues of work, from what our work-life relationships will look like and how the remote work model may deepen inequality, to more lighthearted topics, including questions on Allyson’s personal motivations and how the title of this new series came to be.

The remote work debate

“The biggest thing about the future of work is remote work. It’s this push and pull between people who have autonomy over their daily lives and people who don’t, and I see that being a huge issue in the next five to 10 years. It’s connected to so many different aspects of our lives, like the way we get our work done and make money, and the freedom that certain people have versus people not having that at all.”

The cost of non-remote work

“Let’s think about a family for example: one where the parents can work from home and the other can’t work from home. There are just so many things connected to this one thing of being able to decide where and how you want to work that permeates so many other aspects of your life, such as the amount of money that you’re going to spend and how much money you can make.”

The search for purpose at work

“At the beginning of the pandemic, I felt a big sense of ‘I’m not doing anything. People are out there saving lives and I’m not doing anything.’ Lisa White, creative director at WGSN, said even though you are not on the frontline, you are working in your own way and a way that is still valuable to people. I could potentially provide a solution for a brand so they can keep a whole team on, especially with us being on the cusp of a recession.”
– Allyson Rees, Senior Strategist, WGSN

Head to Apple or Spotify to hear the full discussion on our Lives of Tomorrow podcast episode, Brainstorming session.