2020's perception of remote work

Imperatively, the saying that History repeats itself rings true. While the remote workers of yesteryears may differ significantly from those of today, history reveals that remote work has existed since the very beginning of the workforce.

Before the days of Skype and Zoom calls, a NASA engineer by the name of Jack Nilles laid the foundation for modern remote working when he coined the term "telecommuting" in 1973

When lockdown hit in 2020, remote work felt like a brand-new invention—a swift response to a global crisis. Suddenly, commutes, office chats, and crowded meeting rooms gave way to video calls from kitchen tables. With office spaces empty, it was easy to assume remote work was born out of the pandemic.

But let’s pause for a second. Remote work might feel recent, but it’s much older than most realize. What if remote work wasn’t invented in lockdown? What if this seemingly new way of working was actually rooted in decades of history?

Remote Work Origins: From Dial-Up to Digital Nomads

Consider this: companies like IBM, AT&T, and American Express were already experimenting with remote work back in the 1980s. Employees set up makeshift home offices, dialing in from their kitchens or studies, while their colleagues filled high-rise buildings.

Back then, remote work looked different. It was less about Zoom and Slack and more about landline calls and snail-mail correspondence. But it was still remote work, and it worked.

Steady Growth Through the 2000s

Even by the early 2000s, remote work was steadily expanding. From 2005 to 2019, remote work rose by 140% as companies began recognizing its advantages—especially in the tech sector. Major businesses like Automattic (the creators of WordPress) and GitLab were fully remote long before the word “pandemic” became part of daily conversation.

These companies thrived with flexible work models that prioritized results over physical presence, proving remote work was both sustainable and profitable. By 2019, remote work wasn’t just a secret—it was a strategic advantage.

The Myth of 2020 as Remote Work’s “Invention Year”

So, why do we still believe that remote work was “invented” in 2020? The answer lies in visibility. The pandemic didn’t create remote work, but it did bring it into the spotlight. The sudden shift to work-from-home for millions made remote work highly visible and nonstop media coverage made it feel new.

When something suddenly becomes highly visible, it’s easy to assume it’s a fresh trend. But remote work wasn’t born in lockdown; it simply took center stage. Technologies like Zoom, Slack, and cloud storage became essential overnight—but they had been around, preparing for this moment for years. Remote work was already on the rise; the pandemic only accelerated it.

The Reality: Remote Work Was Here All Along

The real story isn’t about remote work being “invented” by necessity. It’s about an established trend finally being adopted on a massive scale. Remote work had been here all along, waiting for the world to catch up.

“Remote work was not a creation of lockdown. It was just waiting for its close-up.”