Remote work didn’t just appear overnight—it’s been evolving for decades! In this debut episode of The Evolving Workplace series, Wayne Turmel takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of remote work. From the early days of landlines and fax machines to the game-changing introduction of laptops and video conferencing, he explores how technology, corporate culture, and even a few unexpected moments (hello, AOL free discs!) shaped the way we work today.

Understanding the past helps us navigate the future—so how did we get here, and what does it mean for the way we work moving forward? Tune in to find out!

Listen For

00:00 Introduction
02:00 How the Workplace is Evolving
03:08 The Early Days of Remote Work (Pre-1990s)
05:54 The 1993 Watershed Moment: Laptops & Internet Access
10:40 The Rise of Email & the Shift in Office Roles
12:36 Video Calls & WebEx: A Game Changer
16:01 The 2013 Remote Work Boom (and Backlash)
19:24 The Shift to Hybrid Work & What’s Next
23:50 What This Means for Leaders & Employees

Additional Resources

Read Wayne's Blog Post
Explore more leadership insights from Kevin and Wayne at LongDistanceWorklife.com