This depends on what the company want and how they wants to manage their time and working hours, of cause many company are starting to change their working pattern, depending on the location of their worker and space within the working environment. Remote work doesn't mean there will be no promotion or increments of salaries, as long as you can stay at home and complete the task giving to you then it's fine, everyone get paid at when due and everyone get promoted at when due depending on their level of performance at their works place or at their various home.
A lot comes down to company leadership and what they care about most. For sure, some companies are already paying and promoting remote workers fairly, but sadly, not all. That is why some of us keep pushing for more transparency and fairness. It is not impossible, but it is not always the reality, especially in places where "out of sight, out of mind" is still a thing
In terms of robot, well, I must say that there would be a time almost about 50 percent of world population may likely suffer for employment, since most company's owners are wanting their task to be done within some specific period of them, and if companies thinks that get more labor power could cost them more then they would have to look the other way of making the work so cheaper for them, either by recruiting from the sub-countries whom they think they can used or either by getting a tools that could automate most of their task so easily.
With the improvement and the cheaper cost of tools, companies can opt to use technology instead of people, in simple or repetitive jobs. And yes, this risk is bigger for workers in poorer countries or in jobs that can be automated fastest
The tough question is: what should we do, as a society, when half the world might be replaced by tech in the next few decades? Should we focus on jobs that robots cannot do (yet), like caring, teaching, creative work? Or do we need new ways for everyone to share the benefits, not just the company owners? It is not an easy answer, but pretending it is not coming will not help either
Great questions, but hard to answer. Is there even a single formula that applies to each and every company and worker? It seems to me it's challenging to strike a balance. Even to speak of workers who are well-compensated and whose jobs are the very jobs they dreamed of isn't a guarantee that there won't come a time when they experience burnout.
Or is it a natural human tendency to somehow get bored at some point doing the same thing over and over again, and tries to explore and discover new possibilities? Of course, I'm talking about free and empowered human beings, in contrast to many workers in China, for example, who seem to be mere automatons.
The more I read all this information, the more I think that work culture must be dynamic, not set in stone. Burnout can creep in even with high salaries and dream jobs. It is not only bad managers or policies, but people who need change, new challenges, or at least some real freedom to make their own work. As you put it, that is what makes a difference between a free person and a mere automaton, who comes in and out
I do think systems matter, though. Even the most motivated worker can burn out if their work becomes too repetitive or if they feel like a small gear in a big machine. But when people have space to learn new things or even step away for a while (without losing their spot), it is much healthier. Ironically, many companies only notice a problem when people start quitting in waves
The best future is where companies see workers as humans first, not just "resources". And the most successful workers will be the ones who keep exploring, even inside a system
Burnout occurs when a person is doing something that is not their business. You must foremost love what you do, and then there will be no talk of burnout. People who are not shy about choosing what they like best eventually achieve that they will be happy to work at home or in the office. Do not be afraid to change the activity that you do not like; try, study, and choose what is more interesting to you. Not everything in life should always depend on the salary. You are your boss. If you understand that at the moment your life depends on the money that you earn in an inconvenient place for you, in this case, in the same way, it is possible to form a way of thinking when you will not be burdened by doing what your life depends on.
Doing what you truly care about makes a huge difference. Loving your work does help a lot with burnout. To others, it is better to switch careers or pursue curiosity, although it is frightening. However, I believe that there are more layers to the story. Even people who love their job can get exhausted if the system around them pushes too hard (like 80-hour weeks, unrealistic deadlines, or always-on expectations). Being in love with what you do does not make you a superhuman
And you are right, not everything should depend on salary. Nevertheless, life reality means you have to stick with a "just okay" job for a while, because of family or money. The real win is when companies and society can help make those jobs more human too, so you do not have to choose between survival and health. Personal choice does count, yes. But systems, cultures, and leadership do as well. The true happiness in the workplace is when the two come to a compromise: your freedom, yet also reasonable conditions