Isn't that itself a problem though? My issue with remote working is it feels more like I'm a code factory that doesn't get to have input on big picture/design stuff very often. Maybe some people like that though...

Big picture socially and politically, no. Although you do get a rough sense of the power structure pretty quickly. But in terms of the work you’re doing, the amount of influence you have depends on the quality of the organization. If leadership takes suggestions from golf buddies you have a problem, but all ideas are being considered this is a non-issue. You won’t get invited to the boss’s house parties, but your designs / architecture can get implemented if the org knows what it’s doing.

I think your perspective is different because you're probably more senior than I am. I feel like I benefit a lot from listening to the more senior development on my team and by listening to my boss reason about the decisions he's making.

If you're very confident in yourself and your work though this probably is less of a problem.

This is true. I have noticed the non-senior folks struggling a bit, especially the ones who need help and guidance in their day to day work. The been-there-done-that people who already have family and social commitments outside of work have it a little easier.

What part of remote limits your big picture involvement? How does office working enable it?

In an office environment you can walk around the floor, pop into other people's convos or meetings, learn news and rumors from water cooler conversations. You can do this organically when you see people having a break.

In a remote environment you have no idea if you're interrupting someone when you give them a call, so you need a proper reason to call someone. People discuss things in closed conference calls, chat rooms and email chains, so if they don't invite you you will never learn about any opportunities yourself.

Unless you're in a very small company, the "big picture" probably involves people on different floors, in different building, and in different locations--continents even. In many respects, communicating remotely can break down location-based silos in many cases.

I'm not talking about the "big picture" on the scale of the entire company, but more just my team and possibly the 2 or 3 teams we work most closely with.

If half the team is wfh it just seems like those in the office will be in the loop more consistently, especially if the team lead is also in the office. There's a lot of questions I feel comfortable asking casually if the person I want to ask is nearby but not by sending them an email or during a meeting.

I personally don't like living my life by chances (of overhearing important conversations, or anything). I do think small talks and self-start initiatives are important for work satisfaction. I will try to facilitate that by proactively reach out to coworker and probing around what they find interesting. I do that in on slack as much as or even more than in person.

There is this bot on slack called donut that every company I've been uses. Basically it prompts 2 or more random people to catch up every week or how often you think not annoying. I don't think I had more than that back in the office days but you could send slack messages to people how often you want if you like more.

In my team, most of the times, anything important needs to be sent to the channel for transparency and more chance of getting picked up. Private messages are not expected to be as important nor get an immediate reply so people won't feel bothered when you send one. Then there are also things more purposefully async such as github issues and wikis.