There’s no evidence that chance meetings at the office lead to innovations, according to a study cited by The New York Times’ Upshot.
But remote work can enable ideas to bubble up from people with different backgrounds. Online, people who are not comfortable speaking up in an in-person meeting may feel more able to weigh in. Brainstorming sessions using apps like Slack can surface many more perspectives by including people who wouldn’t have been invited to a meeting, like interns or employees in other departments.
One result: Some companies, such as Roblox, are letting people stay remote two days a week and work wherever they want two months a year.
Still, the story says, if some people are in the office, those who aren’t may be penalized. There are also benefits for creativity to seeing colleagues in person; brainstorming ideas and collaborating on projects requires trust, rooted in personal relationships.