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A review by pagesfromhome
Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home by Charlie Warzel, Anne Helen Petersen
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
I wavered on giving this 4.5 or 5 stars, but when it comes down to it, I think this book is one of the best I've seen in recent years that covers the world of work and in particular the promise of a flexible work culture. The introduction makes it clear that this is a book that can only begin to help 40% of American workers so they were well-award that it doesn't serve everyone, but if you are an at-home "white collar" worker, this could likely serve you in some way.
I really enjoyed that the authors gave a lot of actionable suggestions for both managers and employees and that they made it clear that there is no short-term and easy solution. They highlight the need to find value for your life outside of work in order to build the guardrails you need to be successful. They dive into the role of flexibility, technology, culture and community and how each section contributes to both the bad and the good of remote work. I really loved that their focus wasn't on being flexible in order to become a better work, but rather working on being flexible to allow you to do work when it's healthy for you as a person. The focus always came back to humanhood rather than work, efficiency, productivity, best practices, etc.
It left me thinking about the role in my own workplace and how I can work to make it a valuable and more efficient and flexible workplace for all. I finished this book with inspiration and drive to take care of myself outside of being a worker while also respecting the role that work can play in my life. All in all, I'd highly recommend it for anyone who is a remote worker and is looking for a way to avoid burnout and I'd particularly get it into the hands of your managers!
I really enjoyed that the authors gave a lot of actionable suggestions for both managers and employees and that they made it clear that there is no short-term and easy solution. They highlight the need to find value for your life outside of work in order to build the guardrails you need to be successful. They dive into the role of flexibility, technology, culture and community and how each section contributes to both the bad and the good of remote work. I really loved that their focus wasn't on being flexible in order to become a better work, but rather working on being flexible to allow you to do work when it's healthy for you as a person. The focus always came back to humanhood rather than work, efficiency, productivity, best practices, etc.
It left me thinking about the role in my own workplace and how I can work to make it a valuable and more efficient and flexible workplace for all. I finished this book with inspiration and drive to take care of myself outside of being a worker while also respecting the role that work can play in my life. All in all, I'd highly recommend it for anyone who is a remote worker and is looking for a way to avoid burnout and I'd particularly get it into the hands of your managers!