When the first cars came out, manufacturers had to deal with the limitations of very weak (by today’s standards) internal combustion engines. These limitations were so significant as a matter of fact, that the entire car was built “around” the engine.
And the primary concern given the aforementioned constraint, wasn’t other than the weight of the car, which (partly) explains why the first cars were so… barebones.
So in an effort to save weight, some features that we take for granted today, didn’t exist back then: Windshield, roof, wheel covers, etc.
The thing about the missing wheel covers though, also meant that people were able to observe the wheels and the brakes of the car, as they were operating. Especially when it comes to observing the brakes, this was considered by many to be… the best safety feature of the car, as by actually seeing them work, it put their minds at ease. This is because many of them rode bicycles before getting to ride a car and so seeing your brakes while riding and being able to see them moving and thus discern that they work, was considered normal.
When engines got bigger however, one of the first things that manufacturers did, was to add wheel covers. These didn’t just improve safety, but also improved fuel efficiency by being more aerodynamic. This didn’t resonate well with most customers however, as by not being able to see the brakes of the car while driving, they felt unsafe. It wasn’t until wheel covers got adopted by many state agencies that private customers started accepting them too.
Many people complaint that they are receiving increasing requests for zoom calls, even for seemingly unnecessary things, now that remote working is more common. To me, what is happening is clear: Bosses want to check that the employees are indeed working and instead of measuring the output, they are measuring the input (how much time is the butt on the chair).
The thing is, people didn’t initially believe that they would be better off with covers on their wheels. Irrespective of the benefits of the new system, they wanted to ensure that the brakes were indeed working by checking them visually. But this costed them both in terms of safety and fuel consumption. Similarly, you can continue harassing your employees every 5’ when they are working remotely, to make sure that you see them working. But are you sure that this system is giving you more in return, than just letting them do their job? You don’t need to know what your employees are doing every single minute. What you need to know is that when the time comes for them to deliver, they will do so. And since they have already been working for you for some time now, deep down, you know they will.