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What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

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Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#191

Post by etatoby »

bitreality wrote: post #184
eeeeeeeeeeeee wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does remote work need to be conflated with "digital nomadism"? I have worked remotely almost my entire work life (I loathed working in an office each time I went back), but I've never done the digital nomad thing. It's never appealed to me, nor is it very cost effective unless you want to throw all of your stuff into storage while you travel. I am still perplexed at how companies push offices as some kind of hype…

"Digital Nomadism" is a pretty vague term, most people stop the "nomadic" part of it within a year or two. The need for stability is a realization that everyone must discover themselves. Then the label turns from "Digital Nomad" to "Location Independent". It's great to be able to choose where you live, what your routine will be, and who you surround yourself with. As a remote worker, you are in charge of all these th…

> The brain needs to be constantly stimulated by changing environments and real face to face social engagement.

This is so true. I have just discovered it recently. Traditional office and commute routines simply do some of this work for you, although inefficiently and incompletely. You can be in charge of it, as today's technologies allow more and more people to do it, but you cannot altogether dismiss this very real human need.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#192

Post by bogomipz »

This is a really confused and flimsy piece of writing. The author starts by recounting a life-changing after which they decided to completely uproot and move to another country where they found themselves lonely and depressed.

The author then uses this anecdote to assert that "working remotely" is fraught with peril.

They say nothing about why they chose to move to Taiwan. Was it a place they had always wanted to see? Or was it just an attempt to try to escape in the wake of a breakup? The anecdote also makes no note of how or even if being a "remote worker" factored into their unhappy experience.

Further moving and traveling are not the same thing at all. I sounds like the author moved:

>"I lived in Taiwan for about a year before I returned to Europe"

The article seems to willfully conflate moving to another country, working remotely and working while traveling. These are all distinctly different things they people might choose for different reasons.

And some of the assertions are just downright silly such as:

>"Loneliness isn’t something that many traveling remote workers write about. You won’t see it in their Instagram stories."

It's also not something that sedentary office workers write about either. Having a daily routine and a familiar office space does not prevent loneliness. And most social media to has a positivity bias, nobody seems to curate anything other than a "fabulous" online persona for themselves. You would have to be a fool to let yourself be "informed" by social media.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#193

Post by mikhailfranco »

nvrspyx wrote: post #173
theorique wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now I work from home where my wife and toddler are. Being home to educate her is worth more than just about anything. I don't have to drive 2 hours every day just to be an ass in a seat. Two hours where all I do is sit in a car and wish to be home. To be fair, an hour by car each way is on the long side of a commute, at least compared to the US average. (For some cities, it's probably pretty good.)

It takes me an hour to get to work and an hour and half back. But, I live in California and only 11 miles from work. Moving out here from the southern US was mind-boggling when it came to the traffic. I live in a damn nightmare now and am looking forward to the day I move out of this state in less than a year.

It's possible to cycle 11 miles in about 35 minutes. Make the most of the good weather. You will be fitter, healthier, less stressed, less polluting, and after the initial outlay for a new bike and all the gear, save money on vehicle, insurance, and fuel.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#194

Post by armandososa »

pc86 wrote: post #79
armandososa wrote: post #70

Why is there so much pressure on Americans to leave their family's home as soon as possible? I lived with my parents and my two sisters in Mexico until I got married at 32 and I think that helped me avoid depression in my twenties. Had I've been alone in those years I think I would have killed myself. And apart for having moral support it was financially sound. When I was doing well with my freelance gigs I would con…

Americans (myself included) typically have a strong individualist streak. If you don't have a "reason" to do so, such as taking care of them or not being employed, it's typically seen as laziness. Personally I couldn't wait to move out. After college I had a 6 month internship where I lived with them and spent my entire stipend on gas for the 45 minute commute, then moved out as soon as I had enough for the apartment…

Yes, but if that's the cause of depression and loneliness wouldn't it be a good time to revise that culture? I'm just saying that it could not be the best strategy for everybody.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#195

Post by EduardoBautista »

person_of_color wrote: post #161

Where can I find remote companies that pay SV salaries and don't adjust for local COL?

I sometimes wonder why don't SV companies hire more in Canada and/or Europe just by offering slightly higher than average salaries.

Their runway will be a bit longer. They will easily higher more people especially if they let people know they offer higher than average salaries, it will attract the best engineers in the area, and I don't see how the product will be any worse.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#197

Post by da02 »

mmirate wrote: post #190
da02 wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you saying the stupidity comes from using remote workers? What are some anecdotes you've heard recently?

Aside from the usual "we promised the customer we can do X ; whaddaya mean you need 8 months to make it happen!?" ... here's one of the anecdotes: * * * The company makes numerous products. Some people in one of our other locations made a new product, and it was being demonstrated at some kind of trade show. So Marketing has T-shirts made for the show, with designs that look like a Beetles album cover, and words to t…

Any more anecdotes? "In Search of Stupidity" by Rick Chapman covers stupidity before digital nomads (https://www.amazon.com/Search-Stupidity-Twenty-Marketing-Dis...).

But, it sounds like digital nomadry is a tool being misused like other tools in this Dilbert-esque environment you work in. How do I get a job in this marketing dept.? I have NO experience in marketing, but my common sense is good half the time. I'm sure I can make fewer blunders than the current team.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#198

Post by laurex »

I've worked remotely on and off for the last 8 years or so, and currently work for an all-remote company. I am at least somewhat extroverted (ambivert fits well) and it's totally doable, as long as you have the right company culture and take the effort to have other professional social opportunities like meetups or coffees. In my case, being remote has meant that I probably work more than I did in an in-office job, but have more flexibility to do things like pick up kid from camp. One of our developers has a dog and I often see him (via our team's Marco Polo video messages) walking around in the parkland near his house. We have "core hours" where generally everyone is online. I'd say that enjoying remote work and keeping it viable depends on overcommunicating to some degree and to knowing your own boundaries, but I feel much more connected to my current remote team than I did with folks at my last in-person job.

Re: What Most Remote Companies Don’t Tell You About Remote Work

#200

Post by redisman »

djtriptych wrote: post #124
epa wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fancy perk for now, soon it will get old and tiresome to you. Enjoy it while you can :)

Yup. This was my life at 19 believe it or not. Grew old after 4-6 months, though it was a blast for a time. Hotels start to feel hollow and flying that much sucks, even in first class.

I loved traveling for work for about 2 years (traveling 4 times a year overseas for a week). After that it was just horrible. Once you start having pets and spouses and kids, it becomes a complete nightmare. Especially if you don't live near a lot of family who can help while you're gone. Eating food on the bed jetlagged in the hotel after another way-too-long day gets old.
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