The job was advertised as fully on-site, five days a week. On the phone screen, the recruiter said the company valued face-to-face collaboration and wanted someone comfortable in the office. He was fine with that; his previous jobs had been in person.
After two video interviews, they invited him to the office to meet the team and get a feel for it. He took half a day of PTO, put on interview clothes, and drove 90 minutes.
At reception he was shown into a conference room with a TV and a laptop. The receptionist said the team would join shortly. Then the screen lit up: four little squares. The hiring manager was at home. The department director was at home. One coworker joined from another city. The fourth had his camera off because a plumber was in the house.
He sat alone in the empty office and answered their questions. The interview went well. At the end he asked how the team collaborates. Most senior staff, the manager said, work hybrid or fully remote. He asked whether the coordinator role had any flexibility. No — the role needed someone on-site every day, because physical presence was important to team culture.