Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH • Hacker News Board

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#321

Post by rconti » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:46 PM UTC

thrownaway954 wrote: post #48

puranjay wrote: post #31

As someone who has worked from home for a decade, I predict a mental health apocalypse in the near future. Working from home permanently requires support infrastructure not everyone has access to. It also requires a different approach to work altogether which, again, not everyone is capable of adopting. If you have family, work from home is great. But if you're single, staying cooped up alone at home can be a disaste…

not trying to sound like a dick... everyone has to get out of the house and making actual friends in life. co-workers aren't friends, bosses aren't friends, clients aren't friends, work relationships aren't friends. we all need human interaction... join a club, a gym, yoga, bike club, whatever, just interact with people that doesn't involve talking about work. and sitting home and playing video games while good, isn'…

I have friends in my running club, cycling friends, Peloton (half virtual, half local) friends, friends from cities I used to live in, friends who have moved away.

Former coworkers who are also lifelong friends.

Current coworkers I enjoy being friendly with.

It's not either/or.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#322

Post by kevinpet » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:46 PM UTC

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #27

geerlingguy wrote: post #7

WFH saves money for the company, I just hope that some of the expensive (to the company) perks like prime real estate, free meals, exercise programs, etc. can be translated into at least a minimal budget per employee of: Internet connection reimbursement, annual budget for workspace improvements (ideally with a large initial budget, like $1000 or more for desk, monitor, chair, etc.), and possibly some other perks. Bu…

Wouldn't it be easier to compensate for these costs via salary increases? Not everyone will have the same needs, and attempting to track everyone's expenses seems more complicated than necessary. Although, come to think of it, it might make sense to mark some amount of money as an "equipment stipend" or similar on paychecks. That way, it's clear to both parties what the funds are intended for, even if there's no actu…

Salary increases are less effective at achieving the goal. If the company thinks a $5k desk and monitor setup will make me most effective, I might think that with a $5k bonus I'd rather spend it on other things. Stipend + stipulations is the best way to go.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#323

Post by dudul » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:48 PM UTC

mdoms wrote: post #316

monsieurbanana wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not telling you to completely isolate, but this is wrong: > I keep telling my friends that you can't eliminate risk, just mitigate it to an amount that you're comfortable with, and that amount is different for everyone This is a pandemic, any risks you consciously take are risks you're forcing the people around you to take too. No single person can set the amount of risks he wants to take, it has to be decided gl…

The fact that you're being downvoted shows how American HN is. You're plainly correct, and anyone who isn't indoctrinated in the Cult of Individualism knows it. The nations that have performed the best this year have been the more collectivist ones.

Which nations have performed the best? And by what metrics?

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#324

Post by steelframe » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:49 PM UTC

packetlost wrote: post #273

ghaff wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WFH is fine for me. WFH without my usual extensive travel and without the ability to otherwise mix up my schedule is tiresome. And I have a good home setup and have been working remote to greater or lesser degrees for around 15 years or so.

Yeah, I think the combination of not being able to realistically take breaks or travel is having the larger effect. My home setup would be fine if I had the room to put my desk somewhere not in my bedroom (it's arguably more comfortable than my office) but the routine of: roll out of bed, make coffee, desk, make lunch, desk, make dinner, couch/desk, desk, roll into bed sucks a lot.

I’ve just started nuking entire two-hour blocks of time out of the day, which is always pre-filled with back-to-back half hour crap meetings, so that I can go out on a bike trail. Most of the time people don’t seem to care, but on occasion when someone asks me why I wasn’t at their precious half-hour crap meeting, I respond that I had some kind of “carers” issue, and if there is anything relevant they need from me to send me an email about it, and I will reply with the info. Amazingly, that seems to effectively address whatever issue the crap half-hour meeting was for.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#325

Post by maerF0x0 » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:54 PM UTC

spdionis wrote: post #311

scatters wrote: post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What about constant interruptions, loud neighbours and that white light above you, even though you'd rather have it yellow? All the inconveniences of sharing a place with other people, wouldn't any of this take a toll? Are you describing working in an office or working from home?

Stole the words out of my... keyboard. Wait till people who love WFH say "You just need the proper setup". Yes, I need a proper setup. An office, please.

but it could be a home office with 0 minute commute.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#326

Post by mdoms » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:56 PM UTC

dudul wrote: post #323

mdoms wrote: post #316

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that you're being downvoted shows how American HN is. You're plainly correct, and anyone who isn't indoctrinated in the Cult of Individualism knows it. The nations that have performed the best this year have been the more collectivist ones.

Which nations have performed the best? And by what metrics?

Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand and probably some others I am forgetting. By the obvious metrics - fewer deaths, fewer cases, smaller impact on economy.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#327

Post by infogulch » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 10:57 PM UTC

texasbigdata wrote: post #309

ViViDboarder wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IBM calls it hotelling. You can book a desk and check in at any office.

Sounds good. Who plugs in your monitors and other tools? :)

How about a standard 2-monitor+HID setup at each station, that you connect to with your company issued laptop via a single usb-c cable?

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#328

Post by maerF0x0 » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 11:01 PM UTC

throwaway98az8 wrote: post #179

Context: I was in the interview pipeline before/when this announced, so I've gotten some additional clarification on the logistics. I think this is strictly worse than providing employees with the option of where to work (office/remote/some WFH). Something missing in this announcement is that you still need to live in one of the main cities with offices (SF, Seattle, Austin, Dublin) in order to receive full pay. Movi…

Ironically WFH, whilst being forced to a local actually makes it more expensive. You could live in a tiny studio when your office was available. So now you must rent a sufficient space to include your home office -- In a locale where the price per sq ft is higher.

someone invent a murphy bed that converts to a desk that converts to a toilet so our workforce can live in a space smaller than solitary confinement.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#329

Post by fiddlerwoaroof » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 11:04 PM UTC

infogulch wrote: post #327

texasbigdata wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds good. Who plugs in your monitors and other tools? :)

How about a standard 2-monitor+HID setup at each station, that you connect to with your company issued laptop via a single usb-c cable?

I’d like to see a solution like the Smart Card-based Sun Ray become standard in offices. Pull up to any client terminal, swipe a card and get access to your desktop as you left it. Get a cheap laptop for remote access.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#330

Post by maerF0x0 » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 11:05 PM UTC

Solvitieg wrote: post #232

randomsearch wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hate this argument, because many of us deliberately live close to workplaces - and often for environmental reasons.

Yup. In Canada, those who are overleveraged with massive mortgages far away form the office, are rewarded with mortgage deferrals and low interest rates. Those who save money, rent, and made sacrifices to live close to work, are the ones to are losing.

The real issue is that one made a bet on a future that didnt come true. The opposite could easily have happened too. Oil prices could have hit $1k a barrel and people in the suburbs would be crying about the $500 fill up.