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Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

reuters.com

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Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#31

Post by bobthepanda »

iam-TJ wrote: post #20
bobthepanda wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, permanent remote is also not great (particularly in a context where there are no offices), because for people in my living situation that puts the onus on us to find our "work" zone. I'd rather not spend extra money on more real estate or a WeWork-type membership. I just don't find it very surprising that ~60-70% of people don't particularly like permanent remote, since it's 1. a departure from the norm and 2…

The solution to the home-work separation, which also has potential to improve mental and physical health, is to go for a 20 minute brisk walk at start and end of the work-day.

Personally I don't know why we need to keep prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions for people who may respond differently. Prescribing fully office was terrible, why is prescribing fully remote not?

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#32

Post by lawnchair_larry »

namanyayg wrote: post #21
ozim wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you underestimate issues that come with hiring someone from another country. I am not going to hire an accountant from Vietnam to do my taxes even if I would be able to pay him $1 instead of $100. Accountant from Vietnam is not going to learn US or some EU country tax code if he has customers in Vietnam. In case something goes wrong, like you would have to go to court to settle things, good luck on getting someon…

That's a contrived example; the jobs of most people reading HN can (and will) be outsourced.

Time zone difference will get in the way of that.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#33

Post by dschuler »

ozim wrote: post #18
theodric wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can work from home, you are now competing with the entire global labor force for your job. Expect your salary to go down as a result, since you are now much more replaceable.

No, you underestimate issues that come with hiring someone from another country. I am not going to hire an accountant from Vietnam to do my taxes even if I would be able to pay him $1 instead of $100. Accountant from Vietnam is not going to learn US or some EU country tax code if he has customers in Vietnam. In case something goes wrong, like you would have to go to court to settle things, good luck on getting someon…

EY (one of the Big Four accounting firms) has an office in Chennai, India where they do US taxes for public corporations. Of course they're part of the bigger company (EY) that has offices in the US as well, but the example you gave already exists.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#34

Post by akmarinov »

panny wrote: post #7

The article is light on reasons for increased productivity, but according to anecdotes I've heard, it's due partly to even longer working hours at home. Concretely, when salary employees WFH, all hours have become working hours for them. I've read accounts where people are having mental issues due to the dystopic new reality where they are always at work. They end up working around the clock, because they are constan…

I've found the reverse to be prevalent for me.

Instead of all hours being work hours, once I'm done with the tasks I've outlined for the day and see that there's not enough time to pick up something new - I just wrap the work day up with some time to spare.

If I was in the office, I would've been forced to sit in front of a computer, even if I'm mentally clocked out.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#35

Post by abellerose »

I personally think remote workers living close enough to meetup if need be is the future.

As a programmer this year has been great in regard to work; while working from home. Slack or Zoom for video chats when needed, solves all situations I would've been next to someone in-person and if it wasn't for the pandemic.

I don't fear being outsourced as well, since companies still want their employees to be near and I doubt video conference will ever change that desire.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#36

Post by yuribro »

bobthepanda wrote: post #6
tudorconstantin wrote: post #2

Summary: "The survey said information technology decision-makers expect permanent remote work to double to 34.4% of their companies’ workforces in 2021, compared with 16.4% before the coronavirus outbreak, a result of positive productivity trends. About 72% of their companies’ total global workforce is currently working remotely, according to the CIOs." Honestly I would expect it to remain at more than 34%. Who would…

This is great if you have a house with lots of space. Personally as a single young adult I like living in the city with lots of amenities nearby. I would hate being forced to WFH, the same way some hated being forced to go into the office.

Working remotely doesn't have to mean working from home. You could be working from a rented office or shared office space, friends, a hotel and so on.

What's great is the flexibility and customization for each individual employee.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#37

Post by vagrantJin »

bobthepanda wrote: post #17
vladvasiliu wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is an often recurring argument on this subject. For example, I don't care about having a big garden but I don't necessarily enjoy living in a dense city. If I could WFH at least three days a week for the foreseeable future, I would gladly move to a town in the suburbs where I could have a bigger apartment for the price of my studio apartment. I bet a lot of people would do the same. This would lessen the pressur…

I mean, permanent remote is also not great (particularly in a context where there are no offices), because for people in my living situation that puts the onus on us to find our "work" zone. I'd rather not spend extra money on more real estate or a WeWork-type membership. I just don't find it very surprising that ~60-70% of people don't particularly like permanent remote, since it's 1. a departure from the norm and 2…

What is surprising is the WFH is sort of the default, people have always worked where they live. Whether you are farmer in 1500 Congo or a chinese blacksmith in the Qin dynasty. Life is work.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#38

Post by free652 »

akmarinov wrote: post #34
panny wrote: post #7

The article is light on reasons for increased productivity, but according to anecdotes I've heard, it's due partly to even longer working hours at home. Concretely, when salary employees WFH, all hours have become working hours for them. I've read accounts where people are having mental issues due to the dystopic new reality where they are always at work. They end up working around the clock, because they are constan…

I've found the reverse to be prevalent for me. Instead of all hours being work hours, once I'm done with the tasks I've outlined for the day and see that there's not enough time to pick up something new - I just wrap the work day up with some time to spare. If I was in the office, I would've been forced to sit in front of a computer, even if I'm mentally clocked out.

So just wrap up the day? What about if something happens when you "wrapped" your day up? Or someone got a question?

You still need to be at the computer, same as in the office.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#39

Post by baskire »

yuribro wrote: post #36
bobthepanda wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is great if you have a house with lots of space. Personally as a single young adult I like living in the city with lots of amenities nearby. I would hate being forced to WFH, the same way some hated being forced to go into the office.

Working remotely doesn't have to mean working from home. You could be working from a rented office or shared office space, friends, a hotel and so on. What's great is the flexibility and customization for each individual employee.

And who pays for that?

For many remote work involves less take home pay.

Re: Permanently remote workers seen doubling in 2021 due to pandemic productivity

#40

Post by baskire »

ozim wrote: post #18
theodric wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can work from home, you are now competing with the entire global labor force for your job. Expect your salary to go down as a result, since you are now much more replaceable.

No, you underestimate issues that come with hiring someone from another country. I am not going to hire an accountant from Vietnam to do my taxes even if I would be able to pay him $1 instead of $100. Accountant from Vietnam is not going to learn US or some EU country tax code if he has customers in Vietnam. In case something goes wrong, like you would have to go to court to settle things, good luck on getting someon…

Your under estimating the political incentives.

New manager comes in. Hires team in India. He designs his metrics in a way to be greatly improved. Higher ups impressed...guy now in charge of department does the same. Org is now mostly outsourced.

5 years later, oh shit this was a horrible idea the company is dying.

However to that manager and his bosses, they just didn’t care. These ppl all saw their stock appreciate and left before it got bad.

Wall Street and public companies are often rewarded for short term gain at cost of long term future. It’s why startups are able to disrupt an established market.

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