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Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

cnbc.com

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Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#301

Post by rconti »

cletus wrote: post #189

Speaking as someone who now works remotely permanently, this has been... life-changing. So for 10 years I lived in NYC and--don't get me wrong--there are lots of things I liked about NYC but I'm so over the summers and the winters. Also bear in mind that I think NYC is infinitely better for most people to live in than the Bay Area. But I now live in Florida. It's about the 182nd day in a row where it's been 70-80F. S…

Never been to Florida, but from all the cyclists I know, it sounds like the third circle of hell from about May to October. Between the humidity and the bugs and the rain (rain? in the summer? crazy to this west coaster!), I couldn't do it.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#302

Post by dreyfan »

chourobin wrote: post #283
dreyfan wrote: post #75

I currently have 10 fully remote engineering jobs. The bar is so low, oversight is non-existent, and everyone is so forgiving for under performance I can coast about 4-8 weeks before a given job fires me. Currently on a $1.5M run-rate for comp this year. And the interviewing process is so much faster today, companies are desperate, it takes me 2-3hrs of total effort to land a new job with thousands to chose from.

this can't be true, how would you pass background checks?

Uhh, I'm a real person with a clean record? There's no way for a company to ask the IRS if a person has multiple employers.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#303

Post by jakequade »

johannes1813 wrote: post #165

I've been back in my company's office in person (medium-sized tech company) for the last week with a small subset of employees before we all go back, and I've become pretty convinced that these hybrid models will not go well. Even while wearing masks and social distancing, I feel far more connected to the others that work in the office, and whether it's fair or not, personal connection and trust play a huge role in c…

> whether it's fair or not, personal connection and trust play a huge role in collaborating effectively and deciding who gets what work, who gets promoted, etc.

You're assuming a bunch of stuff here. There's something to be said for:

1. Having known people pre-covid, and so having a predefined "connection" with them. 2. The kinds of work that would or would not be more susceptible to personal bias. Web development, for example, is more impervious than people-management.

Ultimately what you're talking about is bias, and bias is shit and should be minimised. Remote working shouldn't be compromised as a result of people not being able to be impartial in their work.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#304

Post by crossroadsguy »

wtvanhest wrote: post #220
cletus wrote: post #189

Speaking as someone who now works remotely permanently, this has been... life-changing. So for 10 years I lived in NYC and--don't get me wrong--there are lots of things I liked about NYC but I'm so over the summers and the winters. Also bear in mind that I think NYC is infinitely better for most people to live in than the Bay Area. But I now live in Florida. It's about the 182nd day in a row where it's been 70-80F. S…

I grew up in Naples. If you have only been there 6 months, you haven’t lived there during the summer yet. That said, I actually love Florida’s climate. The problem with Florida for me is the lack of outdoor activities, especially in the summer except for the beach and boat. I personally prefer the bay areas hiking, access to park, playgrounds etc, but if you prefer beach, Florida is amazing and you adjust quickly to…

Do these places have similar weather? I mean they’re both on the coast but we are talking about two different continents here.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#305

Post by biztos »

bsimpson wrote: post #172
johannes1813 wrote: post #165

I've been back in my company's office in person (medium-sized tech company) for the last week with a small subset of employees before we all go back, and I've become pretty convinced that these hybrid models will not go well. Even while wearing masks and social distancing, I feel far more connected to the others that work in the office, and whether it's fair or not, personal connection and trust play a huge role in c…

Is this substantially different than having a manager in a different office? I'm in SF, but my manager has been in NY for the last 3 years. Being managed from a different office seems to be common in large companies.

Where I last worked it was common to have your manager be in another country, sometimes with a pretty difficult time zone difference.

I was remote but many offices had a butts-in-seats policy because of unapologetically old-school top management. Fortunately there were quite a few middle managers who were able to creatively route around this inefficiency.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#306

Post by draw_down »

dreyfan wrote: post #75

I currently have 10 fully remote engineering jobs. The bar is so low, oversight is non-existent, and everyone is so forgiving for under performance I can coast about 4-8 weeks before a given job fires me. Currently on a $1.5M run-rate for comp this year. And the interviewing process is so much faster today, companies are desperate, it takes me 2-3hrs of total effort to land a new job with thousands to chose from.

This rules. Damn. I love it.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#307

Post by steveBK123 »

It cuts both ways. I love WFH and would love to do it indefinitely. Used to do it 1-2 days/week at prior job. My wife and I are both ICs and introverts, and happy to have the space/privacy/quiet.

However, my firm especially is really taking advantage of it. They are getting far more work out of us while acting like they are doing us a favor by not dragging us back yet.

Meeting load is up 25-50%, but story points per sprint are still way up. Major strategic projects are progressing, profit is high and customer feedback is positive. Firm is in crazy growth mode.

People aren't really using their "unlimited" vacation time.

Managers feel welcome to send emails/slacks out of hours and not even ack responses during business hours. Getting hold of them during 9a-6p can take hours, and if you want to have a quick chat put something on their calendar .. good luck finding a slot any sooner than 2 days out.

None of this is sustainable after even a hybrid return to the office, and its accompanying time sucks of commuting/lunch pickup/childcare arrangements and people actually having social lives and things to do after work again.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#308

Post by auston »

cletus wrote: post #227
majormajor wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I now live in Florida. It's about the 182nd day in a row where it's been 70-80F. Sure it's humid and that may sound weird after the comment about NYC summers but NYC summers are a special kind of hell beyond the heat and humidity. Here there's usually a breeze. I've been here 6 months and I don't even use the AC. You're comparing FL winters to NYC summers? I'm not sure exactly where you are in FL, but... in mos…

Well it's June now. We're pretty close to what summer is. For the record, I'm in the Miami area. I think it's a little cooler here than some places more inland and upstate. Or maybe I'm imagining things. But what a difference the trade winds make (to me at least). Like I said, it's June and I'm still not using the AC. I just open up my house and enjoy the breeze. Some people, particularly up north, like the have thei…

To be fair, I'm a 35 year Florida resident and this summer has been exceptionally nice. It is usually crazy hot and humid by this time.

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#309

Post by 0x0nyandesu »

cratermoon wrote: post #275
esrauch wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not op but have lived in Florida and NYC. I suspect the gap partially relates to the "constructed"/human/social aspects, and not the raw weather itself. A NYC subway car without AC when it's 87 degrees outside is worse than 100° in Florida; Florida is a lot more effective AC, pools/lanais, open spaces.

Architecture definitely matters. Ever been to the Honolulu airport? Lots of open air. The Lihue Airport on Kauaʻi is open air. Check-in is in the open.

Same on Maui

Re: Facebook extends its work-at-home policy to most employees

#310

Post by drewnick »

cletus wrote: post #227
majormajor wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I now live in Florida. It's about the 182nd day in a row where it's been 70-80F. Sure it's humid and that may sound weird after the comment about NYC summers but NYC summers are a special kind of hell beyond the heat and humidity. Here there's usually a breeze. I've been here 6 months and I don't even use the AC. You're comparing FL winters to NYC summers? I'm not sure exactly where you are in FL, but... in mos…

Well it's June now. We're pretty close to what summer is. For the record, I'm in the Miami area. I think it's a little cooler here than some places more inland and upstate. Or maybe I'm imagining things. But what a difference the trade winds make (to me at least). Like I said, it's June and I'm still not using the AC. I just open up my house and enjoy the breeze. Some people, particularly up north, like the have thei…

South Florida has has an unusually dry summer so far and I think that has kept the due points down. As another comment said, give it time and it'll catch up to you. I'm in Boca Raton and it feels wonderful, but by July/August it really gets oppressive. September/October, statistically, has the most rain as well.
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