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Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

businessinsider.com

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Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#421

Post by tacocataco »

jopsen wrote: post #17
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…

I somehow don't feel sorry if overpaid tech workers, like me, have to buy a desk and chair. It's not like you need new office furniture very often.

And it's not like it has to be new. Thrift stores await your arrival.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#422

Post by chrisseaton »

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? :)

The monitor stays on your desk.

Who plugs it in? How hard is it to plug in a USB cable to your laptop that you need to ask who’s doing it?

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#423

Post by jamisteven »

bob33212 wrote: post #88
dhouston wrote: post #33

To be clear (if you only read the headline :)), not entirely remote. Solo work at home, collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely, which is problematic for building teams and culture; and ad hoc "WFH whenever you feel like it" ge…

I have done this for years. I have seen that some people don't like it for the following reasons. 1. They prefer a predictable schedule. 2. They don't like being at home ( family or workspace issues) 3. They are good at or enjoy office politics. 4. They are incompetent managers and they don't know how to manage engineers other than looking over shoulders and taking attendence.

Or, their home is not a place of work, its a home. I dont want my home to be anywhere near my place of work, or anything like my place of work. There should be a clear segregation of these two places.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#424

Post by Cthulhu_ »

dhouston wrote: post #33

To be clear (if you only read the headline :)), not entirely remote. Solo work at home, collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely, which is problematic for building teams and culture; and ad hoc "WFH whenever you feel like it" ge…

Yeah so not really a new concept; in NL we've had this for a while with names like "het nieuwe werken" (the new working) or "flexwerken" (flexible working), which in practice means open spaces, no fixed desk, clean desk policy, etc.

I personally prefer having my own fixed workspace, tyvm. I'm just glad I was able to make it work in the various assignments I've had over the year (e.g. a fixed workspace).

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#425

Post by a_imho »

geuis wrote: post #119

This idea of the future of work being permanently changed is really prevalent right now. It’s not going to be. Future of work, that is. We’re in the middle of the storm right now. We’ve all been bailing water for 7 months or so, and lots of people think that we’ll be bailing water forever now, even after the storm clears. I’d wager that within a couple years at most of COVID being squashed, most if not all the compan…

Or the cat is out of the bag and people won't be able brush off remote anymore now that it has been demonstrated to work? Companies might be able to push the peons back to the salt mines but it is far from settled at this point.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#426

Post by kubav »

If you want to be productive from home you need place where no one interrupts you. For a lot of people it means renting place where they can work. This basically shift costs for workplace from company to employee. I do not think that removing offices for solo work is good idea.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#427

Post by ck425 »

serverholic wrote: post #336
hombre_fatal wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that the comments you've cited are a bit ridiculous. But it's also important to acknowledge that pre-Covid, only a tiny fraction of jobs were remote at all. People who preferred remote work had very little choice in the matter. Our society assumes that commuting to work and sitting in a cubicle (or worse) is fitting for 99% of the work force. So what I mainly see here aren't the comments you cite, but a "ugh…

It's also time for us to raise our voices and be heard. If we pro-remote people don't say anything then companies could easily think that everyone wants to go back to the way things were.

There has to be a balance though. I'm desperately missing the office and have experience moderate depression for the first time in my life working from home. Atm everything I read is 'WFH is the new normal' or 'we'll never have an office again'. If the balance goes too far to home working then folk like me will need to start clamouring for offices. There needs to be a balance and acknowledgment of each others preferences else this will become a crazy unhealthy culture war.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#428

Post by ck425 »

hn-throw-22 wrote: post #387
dimator wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think no one is thinking past "but I'm more productive!", that's including employers and employees. Productivity is not the be-all end-all of a career! Human interaction (of any kind) is important, "wasting" time going to lunch with colleagues is important, serendipitous encounters at the coffee machine are important. I know for certain if my employer decides to go permanent remote, I'll be looking for another empl…

Inversely, if my employer will not allow me to be remote, I will look for another job. I think people need to realize that human interaction exists beyond the office.

That's a hard opinion to push during a pandemic. I might be ok WFH during normal times (I strongly suspect I'd dislike it still) but atm it's nigh impossible to get enough human interaction outside the office.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#430

Post by varispeed »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #121

I guess it's not surprising but I am super disappointed by some of the comments here that show a total lack of empathy for people who aren't like you. I mean, you love working from home? Congrats, more power to you. But the number of comments stating that "only people who are good at office politics like going to the office", "only incompetent managers need to see you in person", "your co-workers aren't your friends"…

Not sure why working in office isn't considered a luxury? You are literally making your whole team commute from various parts of the city just to have a face to face contact. Mind you that this arrangement has been created because in the past there was no way to effectively communicate, but now this is no longer a problem, therefore commuting is just a thing from the past that some people are too attached to, akin to preferring listening to vinyl instead of Tidal or something. Why people should live in the past? That ship has sailed.
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