Big tech firms want staff back in the office. Will indie hackers follow?

With the pandemic long behind us, more and more companies are asking staff to return to the office. A month ago, it was Amazon. Last week, it was Dell.

In the indie hacking world, remote work tends to get taken for granted. We ran a poll on X last week and more than 76% of 680 respondents chose remote over in-person work:

But despite the obvious work-life benefits, plenty of startup founders still work in an office or co-working space at least some of the time.

With office life fast becoming the norm in the rest of the tech world, will indie hackers follow suit?

Why work remotely?

We asked readers to explain why they answered "remote work" or "physical office" in the poll's comment section.

Around two dozen readers commented in total. Those who preferred remote work gave one of three reasons: work-life balance, fewer distractions, or control over a physical workspace.

The results may not be powerful enough to achieve statistical significance. But they give a decent indication of vibe.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many indie hackers found remote work gave them better work-life balance. Some spent more time with their kids, while others enjoyed freedom from a commute.

According to an actual survey by Pew Research, working remotely helps more than 70% of workers with their work-life balance.

But the biggest reason among IH commenters was productivity and flow. Managers often argue that real-life offices are more productive than virtual ones, but this didn't seem to be the case among the IH audience, several of whom said they found offices distracting.

"Friendly Web Guy" Dave Grey wrote:

“Whenever I was in the office the sales people would rumble strut around while on the phone disturbing everyone else.”

Having the ability to control aspects of their environment like temperature and sound was an added bonus for many of these users.

Tettra co-founder Andy Cook said:

“The biggest benefit is avoiding the visual & noise distractions of the office to stay in flow.

“The small perks like access to snacks, control of the temp, ability to listen to music on speakers, and a dedicated bathroom are nice too.”

Managers like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy say staff work faster and solve problems quicker in an office set-up. For solopreneurs and startups founded with just a couple of founders, this benefit doesn't always apply.

"Team energy"

Even for indie hackers, remote work isn't perfect, as X user yuvraj pointed out:

“I like it for the comfort and the time I save but there are cons as well. I often feel stuck, not collaborative enough, FOMO etc.”

X user Avikalp Kumar Gupta said hanging out with colleagues can help everyone maintain motivation for a project.

For some indie hackers, a hybrid setup offers a good compromise. "It is the best of both worlds — remote for flexibility and focus, but the office for collaboration and team energy," said X user Adir Yad.

But many digital entrepreneurs don't have a traditional office to go to, even for a couple of days a week.

Hackathons and founder meetups can help provide some of the human connection solopreneurs and small teams can miss.

In-person indie hacking is having something of a resurgence. Members of the Bali-based Hackagu community, for example, have been setting up informal chapters as they've traveled around the world.

Now, the group's admins have shared their meetup formula online, giving anyone, anywhere the opportunity to set up a new chapter.

The importance of human connection

Working remotely can "feel lonely sometimes," X user Ruben Martin said.

Isolation is a common issue for indie hackers, who often feel they have to do everything themselves. That's why many successful founders emphasize the importance of working with others, whether in-person or online.

"Get out of the idea that you need to do everything on your own," Andy Nelson, co-founder of payment SaaS Checkout Page recently told IH.

"What big company has ever been built by a person on their own? Literally none. Ever. In the entire history of all business."