Warning: My shift to all remote help desk jobs killed my job satisfaction

I jumped on the remote work trend thinking it would save me time and stress. After six months, I found myself staring at a screen all day, just reading scripts to clueless users. I used to love digging into a busted laptop or sorting out a network rack in person. Now, I feel like a call center agent, not a real technician. My problem-solving skills are fading because I never touch the actual machines anymore. Plus, I miss the chat with coworkers and learning from watching others fix things. I’m seriously considering going back to a mix of on-site and remote just to feel useful again. Has anyone else felt their skills slip with too much remote work?

4 comments

4 Comments

lewis.mila29d ago

Read an article that called it "procedural deskilling." The more your job becomes just following a set list of steps, the less you actually have to know. You stop understanding why things work and just know what button to click next. It turns a craft into data entry. That seems to fit exactly what you're describing with the scripts and guides.

shanen311mo ago

You're so right about problem solving skills fading when you never touch the machines. I jumped to remote support too and it killed the fun for me, lmao. I used to actually fix things in the shop and now I just follow a guide all day. It feels like I forgot half of what I knew because I'm not doing it with my hands anymore. I really miss just hanging out with the team and picking up tricks by watching them work. I'm looking for a job with some on-site days now just to feel like a real tech again.

ruby7731mo ago

But have you thought about how much better remote can actually be? Honestly, following a guide means you fix things right the first time instead of guessing. I've seen way fewer callbacks since I went remote because the steps are proven. You also get to help way more people in a day from your desk instead of driving everywhere. Tbh sometimes the shop nostalgia is just missing the chatter, not the actual better work.

jana8811mo ago

But is it really forgetting, or just using different skills? Honestly remote support makes you figure stuff out in new ways without touching the hardware. Tbh I feel like my problem solving got sharper because I have to ask better questions.