Salesforce is shuttering Slack’s remote work research group Future Forum amid CEO Marc Benioff’s back-to-office push.

Salesforce, the parent company of popular messaging platform Slack, has decided to shut down the Future Forum research group, which was established to study the future of remote work. The move comes as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is pushing for employees to return to the office, despite the ongoing pandemic and the rise of remote work.

The Future Forum was created in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting to force companies to shift to remote work. The group was made up of experts in various fields, including workplace design, HR, and psychology, and was tasked with studying the effects of remote work and developing best practices for companies that wanted to adopt it.

However, the group's work has now been put on hold, and its members have been told that they will be reassigned to other roles within Salesforce. The move has sparked criticism from some experts, who argue that remote work is here to stay, and that companies need to be thinking about how to make it work in the long term.

There are several reasons why Salesforce might be shuttering the Future Forum. One is the company's push to get employees back into the office. Marc Benioff has been a vocal advocate for in-person work, arguing that it fosters creativity and collaboration, and that it is essential for building a strong company culture. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said that "the office is the new holodeck," referring to the fictional room on Star Trek where crew members can create any environment they want.

Another reason may be that Salesforce feels that it already has a good handle on remote work. The company itself has been working remotely since the start of the pandemic, and has invested heavily in tools and technologies that allow employees to collaborate effectively from anywhere. It may feel that it doesn't need an external research group to tell it how to make remote work succeed.

Whatever the reasons, the decision to shut down the Future Forum is likely to be controversial. Remote work has been one of the biggest trends to emerge from the pandemic, with many companies embracing it as a way to reduce costs, increase productivity, and attract top talent. Studies have shown that remote workers are often more productive than their in-office counterparts, and that they enjoy a better work-life balance.

At the same time, however, there are challenges associated with remote work. Some employees struggle with isolation and loneliness, while others find it difficult to manage their time and stay motivated. Companies that want to embrace remote work need to think carefully about how to address these challenges and create a supportive, productive work environment for their employees.

In conclusion, the decision to shutter the Future Forum research group is a controversial one, and it raises questions about Salesforce's commitment to remote work. While there may be valid reasons for the move, it is important for companies to continue to study and develop best practices for remote work, especially as it becomes more common in the post-pandemic world. Ultimately, the success of remote work will depend on how well companies can address its challenges and create a work environment that is supportive, productive, and fulfilling for their employees.