I am moving from San Jose to Michigan on Saturday. My company has allowed me to continue working remotely. I know of a few others doing the same.
Care to talk about your motivations? Why Michigan?
Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
381–390 of 424 posts
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#382One thing this doesn't mention is the pay cuts that happen if you do decide to relocate to cheaper areas. Both me and my Wife's company have pay bands based on geographical region(most employees know nothing about this and most companies employ these salary COL changes for relocation) and certain regions you can take a big pay cut. Say your salary in the bay area is 100k for example, move to the South, say Florida an…
Yeah, agreed. I don't appreciate this type of race to the bottom. I live in a Low cost of living area, but my work output is not dependent on geographical location. If I do less or worse work than someone on my team in a HCOL area, I would be up for a PIP or worse. I would be absolutely fine with getting paid less, if my company had an expectation of lesser output. But, as it stand, I am expected to deliver as well o…
You should put that theory to the test. Just stop delivering at all if you live in a low COL area until your employer pays you more.
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#383Earlier quoted context omitted.
But working from home doesn't require people to pull their kids out of daycare?
No but covid-lockdown induced WFH is not allowing also daycare to go to work I guess, also al schools/day-care business are/should be closed?
Fair enough. I assumed this was regarding a more normal state after covid.
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#384One thing this doesn't mention is the pay cuts that happen if you do decide to relocate to cheaper areas. Both me and my Wife's company have pay bands based on geographical region(most employees know nothing about this and most companies employ these salary COL changes for relocation) and certain regions you can take a big pay cut. Say your salary in the bay area is 100k for example, move to the South, say Florida an…
Push back on this. You deliver the same value from SF or Denver. They have the budget. They can (and will) pay you.
That works...right up until someone else in Denver is willing to do the same work for less.
The salary needed to afford the median home in San Francisco is about $183,000. In Denver, the salary needed to afford the median home is about $87,000 [1].
What happens when another Denver software engineer is willing to accept what they would have accepted working for a firm in Denver, because it affords them a satisfactory standard of living?
[1] https://www.hsh.com/finance/mortgage/salary-home-buying-25-c...
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#385Earlier quoted context omitted.
One thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT what working remotely is really like. During normal times if I am missing socialization at work I can make up for it by going out more during the week. During normal times if I want I can spend a few hours working from the local cafe. But the cafes are closed. During normal times, kids are at school for most of the day so they don't disrupt you. But schools are closed. I'…
It doesn't matter if I have my laptop and a hotspot at the beach with tacos and a bucket of beers. It's an issue with a lack of effective communication on emails/slack/zoom compared with meeting with your colleagues face to face. Productivity has fallen off a cliff among everyone I've asked, and this is the reason.
What are your thoughts on companies like Basecamp, Gitlab doing remote so well?
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#386Earlier quoted context omitted.
> young, no kids, etc There is your major reason for that survey result. Companies with median-older workforces will see more enthusiasm for remote work.
I read it the other way. Only people who are young with no distractions at home, favor working at home. People who usually have family members at home, get too distracted compared to a office environment, to prefer working at home.
> get too distracted compared to a office environment
Opposite for me. I bought a house big enough to have an office without distraction. An environment I can control, unlike the office where distraction is everywhere.
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#387Earlier quoted context omitted.
It would at least be a different monoculture. And depending on the city, even less of one as East Coasters are fleeing their own respective sky-high rents to Ohio: https://nypost.com/2018/04/25/ex-new-yorkers-are-flocking-to...
I think people are imagining this will be pretty plug and play, but there will be a shock for sure if your standards of living and expectations come from larger and more diverse metros. I grew up in Cleveland, and lived in those listed areas in Columbus. They feel small, like very small. The 'active' walkable part of Columbus is like 2 miles on high street, where home prices are the highest and continually higher wit…
Thanks for a very comprehensive description. It's a good response. Maybe Pittsburgh compares better to Cleveland?
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#388Earlier quoted context omitted.
Should you live near your job if it's expensive? Your choice. Should your employer pay you more if they can pay someone less who lives somewhere cheaper? Their choice. If you want to live in a small place in the city, there is a cost. If it's not pleasant to work from there because there isn't enough space, that is part of the cost. You are competing with folks who can now work from home, and have the space to do so…
Should I subsidize my employer by reducing the need for them to rent an office space? They're basically now getting free space and shifting the cost to me. Same applies to the cost of electricity, heating (I'm at home 8hrs more than I would otherwise), time spent getting food / cooking, etc. There may be more hidden costs and some people may not be OK with their employer not participating in those. Everything's a cho…
You're already subsidizing them by driving to the office, unless they are paying for your car, gas, and time.
By working at home, I'm saving time and money. I'm happy to take the increased responsibility of creating a workable space. Most people end up doing that anyway and call it a workshop/sewing room/etc.
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#389I am moving from San Jose to Michigan on Saturday. My company has allowed me to continue working remotely. I know of a few others doing the same.
Care to talk about your motivations? Why Michigan?
Mostly just for personal reasons. My wife and I are both from there and our family is there too.
Re: Tech workers consider escaping Silicon Valley’s sky-high rents
#390Earlier quoted context omitted.
If your company is in multiple offices you miss those anyway.
This is also somewhat of a self-correcting problem too. If these conversations really matter so much and either information isn't transmitted efficiently throughout the organization or it becomes a remote vs office clique thing, management either finds a solution or you probably go back to everyone in the office. What I do know is that a lot of businesses are functioning perfectly fine 100% remote right now and there…
No idea of the business your in but remote work is not working for many sales people or client services and many others that need to deal with external customers.
If those who keep the sales and contracts coming in want offices then ceo's will ensure they get them.
Offices will become smaller and more regional but they will exist.
Over the years via osmosis I have learnt so much by overhearing colleagues talking. I met people I would not normally as not quite my line of business or typically we are both just cc'ed in emails. These have become contacts, friends, allies and others simply provided opportunities or put in a good word for me.
I can choose where I work and have pre Covid era worked a lot at home due to projects I had on. But was planing a lot more time in the office this year as I knew I needed to ensure I mixed more.
Chatting with very senior managers, directors and ceo's simply won't happen if remote. But does when your both some of the only people in a quiet satellite office.
No need to brown nose but being more than a name on a chart helps.
Everyone is working very effectively at the moment as in most places there is with lockdown little else distraction wise and many focused on ensuring they stay employed.
In fact for many employees I think the moment they don't have to take a video con call which runs on as the client knows they have no commute and little else to do. Many people will be happy.
Some companies and departments will go remote and thrive in the long-term and others will once things settle find they need many staff back in an office.