The Hybrid/Back in Office Model is Dangerous to the Underrepresented Community

Let’s get straight into it. We have seen an uptick in the increase of companies requiring a hybrid model or a complete shift to coming back into the office 5 days a week. How is this dangerous for the underrepresented communities you may ask? Remote work allowed for amazing, diverse talent to be a part of big tech companies without leaving the comfort of their own city. You were no longer required to relocated to a company’s hub that most likely lacked diversity. Also let’s be honest, can’t everyone just pick up and leave their families behind when you are the main provider, even with the generous relocation bonus.

Let’s also talk about the ability for underrepresented talent to succeed in a space that is unfamiliar or lack familiar community (people that look like them). Take Nike for example, who just did layoffs on Friday by the way. I know so many people of color that dream of working for a company like Nike, but all their jobs now require you to be hybrid or in office at their headquarters in Portland, OR where the percentage of black people is only 5.63%. Typically, people strive and do better in environments where they are comfortable and share common interest. I also couldn’t imagine getting laid off from Nike and being stuck in Portland for a lease term, but that’s just me.

I say all this not to scare you, but to let you know that there are still challenges when it comes to diversifying tech spaces. While my mission is to work every day to break the barriers for you all, I’m still logging into rooms where I’m the only black women sometimes the only black person. Remote work allowed us to shine and show our talent outside of an office building and it’s unfortunate that we are no longer able to do that because of our geography locations. Anyway, these are just my thoughts. If I’m wrong DM me and let me know.

In more exciting new, I got my first candidate offer accepted at Salesforce LETSSSSS GOOOOOOOO! You can celebrate with me here:

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That’s it for now! But just know your 6 figure job is coming soon!

Love yall! Signing off

GetMeHiredKristi