Malcolm Gladwell, who works remotely and said in 2005 that he starts his day on the sofa with a laptop, says it's not in people's 'best interest' to work from home

• Malcolm Gladwell said on a podcast that it's not in people's "best interest" to work from home.

• Gladwell said he's "frustrated with the inability" of leaders to explain that to employees.

• He said he starts his days with a laptop on the sofa and "writes in coffee shops for a living."

During an appearance on the "Diary of a CEO" podcast, Malcolm Gladwell, a Canadian writer, said working at home is not in people's "best interest."

"If you're just sitting in your pajamas in your bedroom, is that the work life you want to live?" Gladwell said on the podcast. "We want you to have a feeling of belonging, and to feel necessary. And if you're not here, it's really hard to do that."

Gladwell, who's authored five New York Times bestselling books including "The Tipping Point," has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1996. He also co-founded Pushkin Industries, a podcast and audiobook publisher, where he's hosted the "Revisionist History" podcast for six seasons.

Gladwell said he's "frustrated" with business leaders who are unable "to explain this effectively to their employees."

To Gladwell, coming back to the office is about a "sense of belonging" that's lost when employees are not physically together.

"As we face the battle that all organizations are facing now in getting people back into the office, it's really hard to explain this core psychological truth, which is we want you to have a feeling of belonging and to feel necessary," Gladwell said.