Remote Work for Engineering Organizations in 2025
Perception vs. Reality and Deciding on the Right Path Forward
Welcome Leaders!
Should you copy Amazon and return-to-office or stay remote?
This question is top of mind for CTOs, execs and other leaders as 2024 winds down and 2025 planning ramps up.
There is no simple answer that fits all situations but what is clear is that copying a larger organization is not the right approach.
You have to figure out what works best for your tech, company, industry, culture and employee base.
And in today’s article I’ll show you how!
Cheers,
How should a CTO or technology leader decide on their remote work approach / policy in 2025 & beyond?
Let’s take a look at the lay of the land first:
Amazon is eliminating remote work (unless you’re grandfathered in)
Most tech companies will probably follow suit over the next few years
Layoffs in tech have been ongoing all of this year & return to office might be a strategy to help that along
There’s no clear-cut understanding of whether remote work is a more productive & effective model in general, although most CTOs I know seem to prefer it
It’s obvious that most engineers prefer a fully remote or at least hybrid set up
The Argument for Return-to-Office
These are some of the key arguments I’ve heard for return-to-office (by the way, I’m not saying I agree with these):
Working in the office together fosters innovation 🚀 because people can spontaneously hang out with each other and come up with new ideas and solutions
Working in the office together encourages a better flow of information 📊 which in turn makes each person more effective because they know more
Working in the office together builds better relationships because face-to-face is superior to Zoom and this in turn builds a better culture 💗
Working in the office together keeps everyone more aligned 🛣️to the companies mission and goals because staff is more focused on the company vs. when they are at home
Working in the office together is more productive 💻 than working from home because staff may do less work at home (not agreeing with this, just listing the arguments)
Working in the office together creates a stronger culture because people are face-to-face which in turn helps to improve employee retention 👩💼
Working in the office together may make it easier for managers & directors to manage their staff & run their teams
These reasons are all pretty common when you talk to company CEOs about return-to-office but there are some under-the-radar reasons as well.
Under-the-Radar Reasons Driving RTO
There is what companies say 📢 is the reason for RTO and then there are the under-the-radar reasons they don’t emphasize as strongly or at all:
Companies may have empty offices which doesn’t sit well optically if they invested heavily in real estate
Companies may not trust the employee base (for example, staff having 2 jobs)
Companies may simply like the feeling they get when they can see their employees are in the office
Companies may be using RTO as a reduction in force strategy, without have to dealing with the public consequences; this in turn gives them cost savings
Companies may be nervous about what the market will think if they don’t bring everyone back esp if their competitors are doing the same
Companies may be involved with the local government to help the city/town economy by bringing their workers back to the office
Last but certainly not least some companies are run by CEOs and executives who simply do not believe in remote work. Perhaps they are from a different generation or their personal philosophy related to work simply doesn’t agree with it.
Ultimately, remote work policies decided by the big tech giants are much more about perception than the reality of whether the policies actually “work” for them or not.
Big tech companies are driven most significantly by shareholder perception, Board expectations, wanting to signal something to the market, and even the past experiences & idiosyncrasies of the executives at the top (e.g. Andy Jassy @ Amazon).
Pro’s for Remote Work
Let’s touch on the pro’s for remote work. And there are A LOT of these (again, I’m not taking a position):
Most engineers prefer remote or hybrid work (this is big)
Staff doesn’t waste precious time commuting which may translate into better productivity
Companies can access talent globally, not just in their city
Probably better for staff retention (for example, because employee costs are lower)
May be better for employee mental health (jury is out on this)
Easier on the environment (for sure!)
Reduces meetings potentially because more things are async
Employees don’t have to take the entire day off to go to 1 doctors appointment
Companies can save money by not having as much office space, equipment, etc
Engineers may have more time for deep work leading to more innovation
Clearly remote work has significant benefits for employers and employees, alike.
But that doesn’t make the decision easier for you as the CTO or technology executive.
Deciding Your Approach
Let’s start with what NOT to do.
I don’t think most CTOs (especially of tech companies) should try and copy anyone else. Instead, they should think for themselves about whether return-to-office is right for their business & context or not.
Definitely don’t use any of the following reasons as the only driver to decide between RTO, remote and hybrid models:
Pressure from other companies. Just because Amazon is doing RTO doesn’t mean it’s the automatic right move for your organization.
Your past experiences. Why? Because since COVID everything in the software industry has changed with regard to this topic. So you should adapt as well (if you’re stuck in 1999.)
Your desire to look good to your team. If you’re going to choose remote to look like a hero to the engineers but its bad for the company, then don’t do it.
Short-term cost considerations. While saving dollars on office space by going remote might be tempting, it could hurt you in the long-term if its not the right approach overall.
Personal biases. Whether you prefer remote or in-office work yourself, your role as a leader requires you to make decisions based on data and what’s best for the organization.
The Right Approach
As the CTO or executive leader you really want to decide on your workforce engagement model based on data & evidence from two buckets: technology & business.
You have to use both of these lenses when making this decision, not just one or the other.
Here are the key questions to ask yourself from a technology perspective to decide whether remote work, hybrid or RTO is best for you:
How pressing is your need for engineering talent? Remote work expands access to specialized skills and broader talent pools, especially in competitive markets.
Are you launching a new product from scratch? In-office collaboration might accelerate innovation and teamwork during critical early stages.
What tools and processes do you have in place? Ensure you have robust collaboration tools (e.g. Slack, Zoom) and workflows to enable seamless remote comms & productivity.
How mature is your engineering team? Senior, self-directed teams often excel remotely, while junior teams may need in-person mentorship and structure.
How complex is your technical stack? If you have 15 year old stack filled with technical debt will a fully remote team be fine managing it?
Do your projects depend on intense cross-functional collaboration? If your work involves constant coordination with other departments think about how either option will impact this.
How critical is speed to market for your goals? For tight timelines, in-person collaboration may reduce delays and boost alignment across teams.
These are complex questions so take your time and gather data appropriately. Don’t just make a knee jerk reaction.
This is where most average CTOs fail.
They don’t do the work of gathering the data. But this is an absolute must since the next 3 to 5 years could be impacted your decision here.
OK, now let’s look at the business side. Here are the key factors to consider:
What are the financial considerations? Assess the costs of office space, remote infrastructure, and so forth.
Is your company’s culture already tuned to office or remote? Consider whether your culture thrives on in-person collaboration or embraces async work.
What does the competitive landscape look like? If competitors are adopting remote work, you may risk losing talent to companies offering more flexibility.
Does your product or service suit remote or in-office work? For example, in-person customer support requirements might necessitate office presence.
What are your employees telling you? Surveys and feedback sessions can reveal what engineers prefer, helping you balance satisfaction and retention.
What stage of growth is your company in? Startups may benefit from in-office cohesion, while larger organizations might be fine with remote setups.
What are the regulatory or market constraints? Compliance, security, or client demands may mandate in-office work for certain roles or industries.
Have you tapped out your local talent market? If your offices are in a tier 3 city, going fully or nearly fully remote might open new talent pools.
How does your leadership team feel about managing remotely? Leaders comfortable with managing distributed teams are more likely to succeed in a remote environment.
What is the long-term business strategy? Consider whether your future plans include scaling globally, launching into new markets, etc.
What are other departments doing? You can go it alone with one option or another but it might create misalignment with the rest of the team.
Decision Making Process
Now that you know the key factors (both technology and business) to consider, how should you implement a process to eventually get to a decision?
First, remember that there may be no such thing as a “final decision” at your company. It may simply be an ongoing topic (true for many companies and not wrong, but not easy to manage through either).
Next, keep in mind that you can’t come up with answers overnight. If you’re going to make this decision right using data, then you need to buy some time.
A lot of the following actives will also be required to make the decision:
Conversations with peers
Reaching out to other CTOs in the market
Data gathering with your team
Deciding on definitions of concepts like “productivity”
Sync’ing deeply with your CEO
Organizing the data into a spreadsheet or some other structure
Potentially building a business case for your decision
Running surveys
Talking through the options with HR (hey, pheebs!) 👩
Uncovering your deepest technical challenges over the next few years
You’ll probably want to add more to this based on what your company’s current situation is. But this checklist should be a great start to get you thinking about all that needs to be done & factored in.
Conclusion
Deciding on the right remote work approach in 2025 is one of the most complex and impactful decisions a CTO or technology leader can make.
It’s not just about choosing between remote, hybrid, or return-to-office models—it’s about aligning the decision with your company’s unique technological needs, business goals, and cultural dynamics.
A little bit of self-reflection & analysis based on data will help you make the best decision for your company vs. copying what some huge organization with vastly different optics is doing.
Ultimately, the best remote work policy isn’t dictated by industry trends or executive biases—it’s crafted through deliberate evaluation of what will drive productivity, innovation, and retention for your teams while meeting your company’s broader objectives.
By taking the time to gather insights, engage stakeholders, and build a comprehensive case, you can create a policy that positions your organization for success in the ever-evolving landscape of engineering work.
The decision may not be easy, but it is an opportunity to lead with clarity and vision, shaping the future of work for your teams and ensuring your org thrives in the years to come.
Email me if you need to talk it through: bobby@technocratic.io