I have been re-reading several articles about Working From Home (‘WFH’) or WFA (“anywhere”) written by highly articulate advocates. These advocates often, coincidentally, also run a consultancy business on how keeping employees apart from each other is a genius move for increasing productivity, collaboration, and engagement. In the comments section, I sometimes write “WFH has all the hallmarks of a cult” and wait for the outraged blowback to head my way. Rather than try to articulate my reasoning to every vitriolic message, I asked my Perplexity AI agent to explain the “exact hallmarks of a cult”. So, the next time you read an article headed “Working From Home = Productivity Nirvana” or “Working in the Office is just so DUMB!” post, then please measure these typical components of a cult, and see if constant over-the-top advocacy of the Remote crowd means they doth protest too much.

Cults are almost always centred around teachings that are considered the “ultimate truth” and dissent is treated with contempt.
Members are expected to follow the truth without question, and any criticism is met with shame, punishment, or expulsion.
Cults typically isolate members from family, friends, and colleagues. This isolation helps foster dependency on the group, reducing outside perspectives and support.
Cults promote a polarised worldview, framing the group as uniquely right or enlightened and outsiders as misguided, evil, or dangerous. This mentality reinforces group cohesion and discourages leaving.
Cults claim a special, exalted status for themselves, their leader, or their mission. They often believe they alone possess the truth or a unique path to salvation or enlightenment.

Other methods, particularly on LinkedIn, designed to promulgate this groupthink include incessant shouty CAPITAL LETTERS blog postings, shares of interminable podcast love-ins, and ‘micro-studies’ and “charts” by vested interests from the group that prove dialling it in from the burbs will save the whale, end global hunger, and add 10x to the share price.

Yes, being apart has never been more popular, but then so was smoking tobacco in the 1970s, and look at the unforeseen damage that popular, cool, universal habit did to a generation and more. So, WFH advocates, you don’t have to drop bombs in the comments section just because someone proposes that being together, creating corporate cohesion, and close in-person relationships is a terrible way to build a project, career or life. Other views on the future of work are available.

PS. And don’t get me started on “virtual all hands”, online socials, and “contact days”.

Bullets above all AI-generated.