Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you link this? I tried finding it
(The parent comment is a joke.)
WeWork’s S1 has distorted my ability to detect satire apparently.
A Hybrid Approach to Work
151–160 of 169 posts
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#152> They’re testing new multi-purpose offices and private workspaces, and working with teams to develop advanced video technology that creates greater equity between employees in the office and those joining virtually. It just doesn't work when half of the team can walk by each other's desk, do some impromptu planning, and the other half are spread out across the world effectively uninvolved in these conversations. Nob…
> It just doesn't work when half of the team can walk by each other's desk, do some impromptu planning, and the other half are spread out across the world effectively uninvolved in these conversations. Nobody wants to go through the trouble of setting up a zoom for the 2 min conversation you have about a thing, or nobody is going to loop in a remote colleague when the team has lunch or coffee together.
This is a tired take. Google Hangouts and Slack Video are quick and work great.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#153For me personally this is the future of working:
- No fixed offices. Companies rent smaller offies at co-working spaces (e.g. WeWorks) and pay their employees a WeWork pass so that they can hot desk from any WeWork across the world.
- 3.5 days work, 3.5 days off. Ideal work week would be: Monday, Tuesday full days, Wednesday half day, Thursday full day, Friday, Saturday, Sunday off.
- Everyone works from home and there is no fixed quota of people having to be anywhere. Each team can and should independently decide at which co-working space they want to meet and for which purpose. Everything is remote first set up though so that sharing and working over well established tools is the norm and not an afterthought.
This new "hybrid" approach by Google is a tiny step forward, but still a LOOONG way away from the perfect work life balance and actually feels like a step backwards after the pandemic.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
In France this didn't really work, in corporate jobs anyways, people would just work their old hours anyway, which they then take off as 'vacation days' - typically in the vacation periods where there's downtime anyways. Doesn't seem like it's worked to help increase total employment.
Interacting with companies in several countries, my impression is that many companies in France will hire more people and share knowledge so that the higher-than-average 'vacations days' do not impact business continuity. It's certainly the case in companies that I've worked for. I haven't seen any studies but I'd not be surprised if this translates into an increase in total employment. Another benefit I perceive is…
The protection racket so many of my fellow American programmers euphemistically refer to as job security, - or just unselfconsciously don’t refer to or think about at all - has always left me cold. Occasionally it rises to the level of disgust.
One of the important currencies in our industry is trust, and people only trust That Guy grudgingly. Sharing info is often reciprocated, and you have a clearer picture of the whole project. Something very necessary if you ever hope to be in leadership.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#155Imo all jobs should also be offered as either 5 days or 4 days (@80% salary) as a minimum. The lack of flexibility annoyed me so much that I built https://4dayweek.io/ Software jobs with a better work / life balance
Googler here - I speak for myself, not representing the company, yada yada yada... Google offers really easily 80% time for 80% salary, even for nooglers. You just have to ask for it, some of my friends here went for it straight away after being hired. Myself I'm on 90% (one every other Friday off) just because that's my optimal balance.
Thats so cool! I wasn't aware of this. I wish more companies were as open as this to flexibility, it almost feels like a 'taboo' subject
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
it is a typical corporate doublespeak and approach for stratification of perks - the higher strata would easily be granted the approval, no questions asked, while the lower - what you described.
Restrictions apply to plebians only. Patricians are always exceptions :)
Reminds me of the quote (from, of course, more grim contexts):
"For my friends everything, for my enemies the law"
Apparently by "Oscar R. Benavides, President of Peru from 1933 to 1939" (https://www.quora.com/Who-originally-said-To-my-friends-ever...)
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#157> We’ll also offer opportunities for you to apply for completely remote work (away from your team or office) based on your role and team needs. Before the pandemic, we had thousands of people working in locations separate from their core teams. I fully expect those numbers to increase in the coming months as we develop more remote roles, including fully all-remote sub teams. This is the most interesting bit that I sa…
10+ of my co-workers at Google have left for permanent wfh positions in the last month or so, I suspect that significantly influenced their decision to change their stance. Before that, their attitude was "people will vote with their feet" and when people started actually voting with their feet, this got announced pretty quickly.
I turned down a very good return offer with google because I knew I wanted to take a 100% remote job (and I let my recruiter know that). Yet another anecdata point.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
10+ of my co-workers at Google have left for permanent wfh positions in the last month or so, I suspect that significantly influenced their decision to change their stance. Before that, their attitude was "people will vote with their feet" and when people started actually voting with their feet, this got announced pretty quickly.
My Googler friend already found remote jobs as he started looking a few months ago to go remote (moved from LA to Florida), and he says that he will probably move anyways as the other offers are great.
I was taken aback by how much more relaxed I felt in general after going 100% remote, after spending 10+ years commuting up to 4 hours round trip per day in the SF bay area.
My comp is lower now but it's easily a net win.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
Almost no one is back in the office currently. The 60% is people who are expressing interest in returning to the office according to employee surveys.
The actual quote is "In fact, in places where we’ve been able to reopen Google offices in a voluntary capacity, we’ve seen nearly 60% of Googlers choosing to come back to the office." That doesn't sound like surveys; I think the 60% of people came to the office once or twice interpretation is more likely. (Also possible that the offices that were opened were more heavy on hardware / "lab" roles, so while maybe it was…
I think the thing you may be missing is that almost all of those offices are in Europe, Asia, or Oceania. I know my coworkers (I work at Google) in those locations are largely back in the office some, and excited by that.
Having worked from the Zurich office myself previously, most people are within walking/biking/a 5 minute train ride to the office, so commute concerns that we have in the US aren't relevant.
Similarly, most people in those locations live in apartments or condos and so may not have a space to make a home office. Returning to the office to make use of the (superior) workspace in the office. I can say that for example on my team, around half of my coworkers (whose offices are open) are consistently in the office.
Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work
#160"Pending approval from your manager/lead" - Corporate doublespeak for Don't even think about going full time remote. We are going to drag you back kicking and screaming.
I don't really agree.
It's obviously purposefully non-committal, which makes sense, as Google leadership clearly is not inclined to want to be remote-first.
Lots of stuff is really group-specific at many firms. Google aims to be more top-down than most companies its size about these sorts of things, but it's a valid model to say some-teams-this-is-acceptable-some-it-is-not.