I still don’t trust this theory. There’s no evidences that the property owners and the companies that lend those offices are linked together. I’ve never seen anyone make a link between the two. I’ve never seen anyone even try to do it or mention it.

My hypothesis is that middle management and executives is in crisis because of this. Because they can’t justify half their salary if they can’t be above your shoulder to tell you what to do, and if they can’t hold you up in a room for a useless meeting that should have been an email. They are missing the power they have on you. Half their manipulation techniques also rely on body language. They want to see your obedience. And if you’re unable to work from home, it justifies anything because suddenly you’re like a child in school. They don’t trust you either.

Oh and of course they can much more easily take you hostage to work overtime if you’re not already home.

Sometimes it’s an actual lack of experience working with people who are not on site. Sometimes they need the extra time from lunch and coffee break to have actual work done. Sometimes they don’t have working tools and process to organise or communicate.

But I’m convinced that, mostly, it’s all about a lack trust and domination. And layoffs obviously, those are a valid reason for a company too.

Obviously I’m not saying a crisis is not coming. I’m saying that the fight against remote work is unrelated to this crisis.