Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents • Hacker News Board

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#51

Post by chakerb » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:16 PM UTC

aripickar wrote: post #8

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

The fact that people were forced to stay at home may influence their view. If people willingly choose to try working from home, I would guess that the result would be much different. Not only that but the fact the you are stuck at home all day long would make you eventually leaning towards getting out.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#52

Post by toomuchtodo » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:16 PM UTC

capableweb wrote: post #46

toomuchtodo wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mid 30s, partner, two kids, will only work from home. Will not consider a commute or an office. Have worked remotely for almost a decade. Doing the math, I've saved almost 3360 hours by not having to commute (~2 hr/workday), not to mention wear and tear on a vehicle and the associated commute costs. When my office door is closed, everyone knows I'm "at work". If you don't have a separate physical space where you only…

I'm 30s as well, partner, no kids, will only work in office. I won't consider remote anymore after two experiences with different companies (during 4+ years). Worked in office and remotely equally long in total. I never see the same productivity in myself or others when working remote compared to the office. I think it just boils down to different people have different needs and work differently. Remote works well fo…

No worries, hope it helps others makes the leap. I agree it doesn't work for everyone, but there are so many benefits for both society and workers, it should be mandated that businesses are required to accommodate it similar to what Germany is discussing [1].

[1] https://www.dw.com/en/german-labor-minister-calls-for-right-...

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#53

Post by ardy42 » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:16 PM UTC

geddy wrote: post #17

aripickar wrote: post #8

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

It's a damn shame, really, the slavish devotion to one's car and spending hours a day sitting in traffic apparently is apparently preferred over actually getting time back in your everyday life. It's like people have adapted to having no life outside of work, and now they're just so bored they'd rather lose that time than just find a new hobby or learn something. I don't think I've ever thought about anything more de…

> It's a damn shame, really, the slavish devotion to one's car and spending hours a day sitting in traffic apparently is apparently preferred over actually getting time back in your everyday life. It's like people have adapted to having no life outside of work, and now they're just so bored they'd rather lose that time than just find a new hobby or learn something. I don't think I've ever thought about anything more depressing than a group of people who want less free time in their day.

I'm pretty sure no real person has argued that they want to work from the office because they have a slavish devotion to their hours-long commute and they don't want to develop a life outside of work.

It would probably help the discussion if you didn't straw-man the people who don't share your preferences, and dismiss them out of hand.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#54

Post by greendave » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:17 PM UTC

> Just as people can work from anywhere, employers can hire from anywhere. "The talent pool gets massive," he says. "Why would my employer pay me SF wages?"

This is sort of a non sequitur. These calculations are already happening and becoming more common, regardless of whether some individuals choose to move or not.

It's my hope that many people do move away though. Even setting aside the horrible traffic and insane housing costs, it's just not healthy for the region to be so highly dependent on tech jobs.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#55

Post by returningfory » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:18 PM UTC

seibelj wrote: post #32

geddy wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a damn shame, really, the slavish devotion to one's car and spending hours a day sitting in traffic apparently is apparently preferred over actually getting time back in your everyday life. It's like people have adapted to having no life outside of work, and now they're just so bored they'd rather lose that time than just find a new hobby or learn something. I don't think I've ever thought about anything more de…

I live in Boston and commute on the subway. I specifically live in a major city because I like the city atmosphere, events, night life, restaurants, etc. I have co-workers that live in the suburbs and do the car thing (although many take the commuter train), but I don't. So I have no problem commuting to work. I like the subway.

+1.

There's a bias on HN to compare working-from-home with the commuter experience _in the Bay Area_, and conclude working from home is better. For many of us in places like New York, living in the city and going to the office is much more preferable lifestyle than working from home in a random place.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#56

Post by capableweb » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:18 PM UTC

geddy wrote: post #17

aripickar wrote: post #8

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

It's a damn shame, really, the slavish devotion to one's car and spending hours a day sitting in traffic apparently is apparently preferred over actually getting time back in your everyday life. It's like people have adapted to having no life outside of work, and now they're just so bored they'd rather lose that time than just find a new hobby or learn something. I don't think I've ever thought about anything more de…

> I don't think I've ever thought about anything more depressing than a group of people who want less free time in their day.

I think you're the only one who is thinking that way. I'm a software developer who prefers to work in a office, not because I get less free time, but because me and my colleagues are more productive when we share the same physical space while working. On the other hand, I completely get that some people are more productive working remotely, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Neither ways are 100% perfect for everyone, nor will they never be.

When considering others perspective, try to do it favorably, otherwise you're never gonna understand the other side.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#57

Post by allsystemsgo » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:18 PM UTC

aripickar wrote: post #8

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

Maybe employees should just decide for themselves how they work best.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#58

Post by egonschiele » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:19 PM UTC

I left SF a year ago to settle in the midwest. Best decision I ever made.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#59

Post by jandrese » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:19 PM UTC

geddy wrote: post #17

aripickar wrote: post #8

I'm pretty bearish on the pandemic actually leading to massive change in the number of people permanently working from home. My boss put out a survey a week or two ago among my org (30 or so people), and 70% said that they want to work from the office, full time, 20% said some time or most of the time, and 10% said fully remote. And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home duri…

It's a damn shame, really, the slavish devotion to one's car and spending hours a day sitting in traffic apparently is apparently preferred over actually getting time back in your everyday life. It's like people have adapted to having no life outside of work, and now they're just so bored they'd rather lose that time than just find a new hobby or learn something. I don't think I've ever thought about anything more de…

My commute is also my morning and evening cardio routine as a bike 5 miles each way. I've been really missing the every day bike rides this year.

Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents

#60

Post by chongli » Thu, May 14, 2020, 5:20 PM UTC

pwinnski wrote: post #22

Turing_Machine wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And this is a group of people that would be largely well suited to working from home during the pandemic (young, no kids, etc). I just don't think that this will change much. I'm not sure that follows. It seems to me that people with spouses and especially children would be more interested in working from home, not less.

While working from home, kids can often be a major distraction. Not insurmountable, but especially given that most people have been forced into some variety of home-schooling at the same time they were pushed into working from home, I could understand many people with kids choosing to go to an office.

People with kids often have different priorities. Having a slam dunk, distraction free, high productivity work day tends to be lower on the priority list. Spending time with your partner, taking care of the kids, cooking and eating dinner with the family; these all tend to be higher on the priority list.

There are exceptions. Some people don’t respond well to the stresses of family life and want to escape to the office. Hopefully these people decide not to have children in the first place.