If we bring them back, we need to add googily eyes to them. I know that's not the message that people are trying to send, but how can we resist the temptation?
Honestly, it makes more sense - what am I, a mid-level scientist, going to bring to that corporate atmosphere? You're going to ask me to brainstorm in a meeting with an Executive VP? Yeah. Fucking. Right.
You give me work, I do the work. Yes I might need to ask a question, but that's uncommon and I can just teams for that.
The seniors execs? That makes sense. They need to all be on the same page, and talking to each other. Collaborating etc.
We had some major construction done at our work recently. Our boss told us that if we wanted to work remote, do so and just keep it quiet; if we wanted to work in-office-they'd find us space. Everyone was expressly welcome to work remote, except "anyone with 'director' in their title." That was kinda cool.