Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

twitter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 409 posts

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#61

Post by shougg »

levesque wrote: post #7
OldFatCactus wrote: post #3

A friend that works there told me that they have been polling their employees for strong feelings around going permanently remote

I have strong feelings against permanently remote. I feel like this hasn't been fully thought out. Face to face interaction is much more high bandwidth than remote video calls (in other words, it conveys more information). Not to mention that this transfers the costs of office space to the employee, maybe this is why all employers are quick to jump on this bandwagon. Curious to see where this new trend will fall in 2…

I’m happy to have the cost transferred (some parts are debateable, I need internet, a desk, and a monitor for home anyways) if it means no more commuting and no more open offices. My focus has significantly increased in the past few months.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#62

Post by ryanSrich »

TACIXAT wrote: post #52

I really hate how this is being dragged out in month sized increments. My partner and I went to Austin for a month and a half and now are back in the Bay Area to hear the next decision on her office reopening. 2021 is 6 months away. That's not enough to move somewhere else that would make the pain of moving worth it.

I say this with all seriousness, and I understand some people don't have this luxury, but if you do, please quit.

These companies will continue to punish their employees if they are allowed to do so. The only way to create change is through leverage.

This goes for anyone facing this decision. If you have the ability to quit, you should absolutely do it. Take a year off, find another company that doesn't support archaic business practices, start your own business.

You owe it to the people that don't have that option. The people that are forced into commuting. The people that are forced into depression because they have to continue to pay their massive rents in absurdly expensive cities. The people that have incredibly poor mental health because they're pulled into gross office politics that pit employees against each other.

We must force these companies to change their bad behavior.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#63

Post by ghaff »

levesque wrote: post #7
OldFatCactus wrote: post #3

A friend that works there told me that they have been polling their employees for strong feelings around going permanently remote

I have strong feelings against permanently remote. I feel like this hasn't been fully thought out. Face to face interaction is much more high bandwidth than remote video calls (in other words, it conveys more information). Not to mention that this transfers the costs of office space to the employee, maybe this is why all employers are quick to jump on this bandwagon. Curious to see where this new trend will fall in 2…

A fair number of people probably feel like you do. But I strongly suspect that, at least with many companies, a certain percentage of people never come back into the office except sporadically. So even for those who do return full-time, the atmosphere and work style will be changed for an indefinite period of time.

I know a number of people in the process of permanently moving out of cities--in several cases to rural locations many hours away.

For people with houses, the office space cost is likely less than the commuting cost. But it is indeed an issue for many in tiny city apartments.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#64

Post by ghaff »

caymanjim wrote: post #58
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

New Yorkers love to hate Time Square but it's really not so terrible, just crowded. It's in close proximity to everything, and it looks pretty at night. And as you said, it's really easy to get to.

It's literally across the street from Port Authority, which is an open-air shooting gallery and homeless camp. It's not a nice area.

Yes, the Port Authority: aka the world's worst bus station. But you go a few blocks and you're in Hell's Kitchen which I find a pretty interesting neighborhood with nice ethnic restaurants. Or walk south 10 blocks or so into Chelsea.

When I'm in NYC I often stay at about 42nd and 10th out of choice even if I'm not at a Javits event. It's near things but is out of the craziness of Times Square itself.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#65

Post by conanbatt »

niklasd wrote: post #17

I've heard now from a couple of people that they've enjoyed remote work and some have already sucessfully negotiated that in future they will work part time from home. So it really seems that some of the change will be permanent.

I've worked remotely most my life but as a new parent...I really want an office.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#66

Post by the_gipsy »

levesque wrote: post #7
OldFatCactus wrote: post #3

A friend that works there told me that they have been polling their employees for strong feelings around going permanently remote

I have strong feelings against permanently remote. I feel like this hasn't been fully thought out. Face to face interaction is much more high bandwidth than remote video calls (in other words, it conveys more information). Not to mention that this transfers the costs of office space to the employee, maybe this is why all employers are quick to jump on this bandwagon. Curious to see where this new trend will fall in 2…

> Face to face interaction is much more high bandwidth

I'll take quality over bandwidth any day.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#67

Post by op03 »

Loughla wrote: post #5

Meanwhile, my employer has said zero remote work once the state transitions into the next phase. They want to be "fair" to everyone, including those who have positions that cannot be performed remotely. So, you have a co-morbidity? Nope. You have no childcare suddenly? Nope. It's startling how stuck in the 1980's some people are. Just absolutely astonishing.

Some folk make more money renting office space to their own companies than they do from the companies.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#68

Post by catacombs »

r00fus wrote: post #6
Loughla wrote: post #5

Meanwhile, my employer has said zero remote work once the state transitions into the next phase. They want to be "fair" to everyone, including those who have positions that cannot be performed remotely. So, you have a co-morbidity? Nope. You have no childcare suddenly? Nope. It's startling how stuck in the 1980's some people are. Just absolutely astonishing.

Does it make sense to name & shame these bad actors?

Yes. It's all about PR, and if a company looks bad because it's forcing its employees to return to the office, amid a global pandemic and health concerns, that won't bode well, and they are likely to buckle under the pressure.

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#69

Post by untog »

conanbatt wrote: post #65
niklasd wrote: post #17

I've heard now from a couple of people that they've enjoyed remote work and some have already sucessfully negotiated that in future they will work part time from home. So it really seems that some of the change will be permanent.

I've worked remotely most my life but as a new parent...I really want an office.

As a (not quite so new) parent I really want a coworking space that's a five minute walk from my apartment. That way I can do school dropoffs and pickups so much more easily. In my dreams expanded remote work means lots more coworking spaces popping up. I know, I'm a dreamer...

Re: Most employees of NYT won’t be required back in physical offices until 2021

#70

Post by catacombs »

Loughla wrote: post #11
r00fus wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it make sense to name & shame these bad actors?

The issue is, I know I would be fired, and cannot afford to lose this job. There is no one hiring in the area, and we're geographically locked due to factors around my child that I don't care to get into here. So, the answer is yes, but there is no way to do that without losing my health insurance, and probably home. So that's neat.

> The issue is, I know I would be fired, and cannot afford to lose this job. There is no one hiring in the area, and we're geographically locked due to factors around my child that I don't care to get into here.

Unionize.

Post reply on HN