We probably need a balance. Full remote is bunk for most fields because community is only built by showing up. There would be no class rings if everyone had online classes.
Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
721–730 of 830 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#722This debate boils down to personality, life stage, or life choice differences. High in trait extroversion, or living in a crowded roommate situation, or unattached and living close to the office and you’re more likely to want a return to the office. Lower in extroversion/an introvert, or have a nice house in the burbs with a long commute, or have kids etc and you’re more likely to opt to WFH. Every other argument is more or less a rationalization of one of those fundamental and intractable differences which is why this “debate” goes around and around without resolution.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#723perhaps OP should contact like-minded individuals in this very thread and start a company together! or maybe create a developer job site for companies that do not offer WFH options!
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#724Earlier quoted context omitted.
Disclaimer: I support fully remote work and will likely never be returning to office in my lifetime if I can help it. Here I play devil's advocate. Even though it is a hypothetical world you've constructed, you still framed it from the perspective of this world. I can do the same thing you did with a different bias. Imagine a world where everyone is socially isolated, forced to work 8 hours a day from their living sp…
>they must login to show activity on their computer every 15 minutes or else be fired. This is the stupidest thing, I think - I don't care if you're at your computer all the time I am at my computer, I care if you get shit done
it gets a bit tricky when you ask urgent question to colleague and he is not responding to you for 30 minutes.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#725At least for me, my primary hangup for going back to the office is that COVID -isn't over-! Since I can do my job just as well from home as from the office, I'd far prefer to stay in an environment where I have control over my level of risk. (I realize not everybody has this at home, but I live alone) For this reason, when I hear corporate taking advantage of the between-wave lull to trumpet going back to the office,…
I'm going to add... since I stopped going into the office, I stopped getting the flu.
I have a crappy immune system, and some auto-immune disorder stuff. I would get the flu for about a week, three to five times, every year. Given I'm in the U.S., that also means I would usually need to get furloughed for any kind of Christmas holiday.
Now... I get to not be sick (inevitably from a co-worker coming in sick, saying 'I'm fine, I can push through', then coughing all over the open floor plan) and I get my vacation time for vacations.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#726Earlier quoted context omitted.
> younger tech workers are losing a big chunk of what it means to build work relationships (which are some of the best) I dont want to judge but its really hard not to if you see work relationships as some of the best relationships available. They are absolutely relationships that are formed from forced repeated interaction. Maybe I have had a few co workers who I would have naturally become friends with outside of w…
Why would you struggle not to judge someone who had developed some of their best relationships from work? Studies have shown that the best way to develop friendships is repeated, unplanned interaction. I certainly didn’t make friends with everyone I worked with, but out of that pool, there have been some great ones I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I certainly empathize with the feelings of the parent. Would you feel th…
Also, apparently one advice that keeps showing up from successful entrepreneurs is to build a strong friends network from different places you've worked in. Changes are those people, apart from just being your friends, will probably help you on your next adventure and forward. School is definitely another big one, but once you're out, it's over. Now, if you're stuck at home, it becomes a bit harder to build that bond.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#727Oh my - I've been waiting to hear this since forever, and you couldn't have said it better. I feel exactly the same way, and I feel like specially the younger tech workers are losing a big chunk of what it means to build work relationships (which are some of the best), and to connect with people. I don't know how to fix it as like you said, most people will scream when you mention work from office/
> younger tech workers are losing a big chunk of what it means to build work relationships (which are some of the best) I dont want to judge but its really hard not to if you see work relationships as some of the best relationships available. They are absolutely relationships that are formed from forced repeated interaction. Maybe I have had a few co workers who I would have naturally become friends with outside of w…
depends on where you live, I guess. I don't know what has been your experience. I've lived in various places of the US, Latin America, and London. I found that the best friends I've made have been from school and work. Not sure I made any good friends "around town"
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#728I think a lot of this boils down to kids vs no kids. I really enjoyed working in the office when I didn't have kids. Hanging out with coworkers after work was pretty normal, and sometimes my wife would come along too. We're still good friends with a lot of my old coworkers. In fact, those are the people we hang out with now. But now that I have kids I'd rather spend time with them or on my hobbies with them or hangin…
Nah I don't have kids I am way happier working from home. I can spend more time with my partner, and when she and I both have a quiet moment we can make tea/coffee together and have a short break in our work day. I can do things like fold or hang laundry during meetings. I save money and so much time and energy by not commuting. I like going into the office occasionally for a change of environment and to have access to some of the things in the city after work, but I want that maybe one day out of every two weeks
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#729I'm completely on board with you. Work is an important social outlet and I have co-workers who share the same sentiment.
I will just add an anecdote that at my company (Google) the office life has returned back to something like normality and I find myself talking with my deskmates, going to lunch, etc quite often. Perhaps the issue is with the company you work for and the answer would be to move to a less-remote friendly company.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't I see gold at the end of the remote working rainbow?
#730Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure the specific labor markets we are talking about will deteriorate substantially.
There’s already layoffs and downsizing announced weekly. Even pausing growth will have an effect.
There are more jobs in tech than people to fill them, places are always hiring even if FAANG is laying off. One day that dynamic will change, it hasn't yet.