Is going to the office a broken way of working? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#311

Post by gremIin » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 1:34 AM UTC

jstx1 wrote: post #93

dave78 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's so wrong with letting every employee make their own choice? Then, after 6 months or a year or whatever (to get everyone a chance to get used to it and be confident in their selection), survey everyone to find out who wants to keep working from home. Those that don't - allocate them a desk in an office. Add some additional hoteling desks for travelers or normal WFHers who need to visit, and then adjust the size…

> What's so wrong with letting every employee make their own choice? You're inevitably forcing your colleagues into your own way of working to some extent. Imagine a team of 6 people working on the same product: If 1 is in office and 5 are remote, then the benefits of the office are largely lost even for the 1 person. That 1 person is still working in a remote model just from a different location which happens to be…

Is it actual teammates the in-office crew wants, or do they just want to work around other people? In that case you aren't "inevitably forcing your colleagues into your own way of working" if you can find something that works for everyone, such as the in-office crew having a coworking site, or relocating that team to a common city if the team can accommodate it.

In fact, the refusal to acknowledge the truth that alternatives exist (albeit out of the box alternatives) strikes me as a common way for in-office advocates to shut down the WFH conversation.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#312

Post by danielecook » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 1:46 AM UTC

taurath wrote: post #46

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

I think you're correct, but one thing that is really missing nowadays, especially with phones and the internet, is active communities that exist in real life outside of work. Stuff like the elks lodge, rotary, bowling leagues, etc are just not as common anymore as I believe they used to be. Certainly there are many things that exist, but in a way societally it seems like they don't have very much cache, even as far a…

I have seen a few new cool club ideas that might help fill this void.

In Kansas City there is a dog club (your dog is the member), but it features a bar, workspace, food, events: barkdogbar.com. You drop off your dog to play with the others and can socialize with others, work, etc.

In Chicago - there is guild row (guild row.co) (disclosure: my cousin is a cofounder). This social club is centered around making things.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#313

Post by felipellrocha » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 1:53 AM UTC

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

The groundhog effect. I tried working remotely almost a decade ago and realized I hated it because of that. As soon as covid started I knew I was going to hate it. Not sure everyone else is feeling the same, and it scares me.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#314

Post by Volrath89 » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 1:55 AM UTC

soylentnewsorg wrote: post #238

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

Here's the thing though: you should not socialize with anyone at the office. The healthiest thing anyone can do for their career is to not mix work and friends. Once you're friends, you're sharing political opinions, life stories, and religious views. People pick up on that, and while you might be pleasing one guy, you're pissing off someone else. No matter your stance on something, you're going to be pissing off som…

I think you are right if your goal is to always climb to higher positions, especially to get to the very top of management.

But some of us just want to be normal devs for most of our careers, so I don't care if I piss some % of my coworkers with some political stance, even if that means hindering my chances to get "promotions". I don't even _want_ to get any promotions.

And it's also very hard for me to make friends outside of work, which I guess it's true for almost everyone who is 30+ in the western world

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#315

Post by acwan93 » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:00 AM UTC

spbaar wrote: post #243

perlpimp wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems that to participate in group activities you have to bring friends you have nowadays instead of going out and making friends. My view might be wrong.

truth. went to a gyms happy hour and me and a girl were there alone otherwise everyone else went off in their groups of 3 or 4 they knew already lol.

Yep. This has been studied in MBA networking events too where the only person who ended up meeting everyone was the bartender.

>The few new meetings that did take place tended to be with others who were like themselves: the consultants talked to consultants, and the bankers talked to bankers. In terms of both new conversations and diverse connections, the most successful networker at the event turned out to be the bartender. https://hbr.org/2018/05/go-ahead-skip-that-networking-event

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#316

Post by Sophistifunk » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:06 AM UTC

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

The answer isn't to force people to come into the fishbowl to be watched, the answer is to judge employees by output and for us to build alternative places to socialise.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#317

Post by 1ark » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:07 AM UTC

1970-01-01 wrote: post #277

Does anyone else find New Yorker articles excessively long winded? They always start by telling a backstory, but the backstory begins where it has very little benefit to answering the question.

I guess their journalists are paid per word? A broken way of working.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#318

Post by cube00 » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:13 AM UTC

Zababa wrote: post #136

Something that's very important when considering "the office": open spaces. For some people, they are terrible. Going to the office in a private office, in a small office with a few people or in an open space with 20+ people are all very different things for very different kind of people. I personally don't like open offices, especially where there are people behind me.

I'm starting to realize the same thing. In my case I go to an office to set next to a call center where they're on their phones all day non-stop talking about things that have nothing to do with my work. All my colleagues work in other cities so I either way we're meeting virtually, at least by staying home I don't contribute to the noise level on the floor.

If I could come in to a space that just had the people I worked with I'd be more inclined to that. Even if they offered a quieter space to work that might be better but what's the point when I'm already fortunate enough to a quiet space at home.

We're currently getting the push to get back into the office now by guilting us that we're killing the local cafes around our building, even though I never purchase take away coffee and bring my lunch from home because I'm cheap.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#319

Post by andrei_says_ » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:13 AM UTC

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

To me this is more about work eating life and less about office vs wfh.

I just visited Europe this fall and people hang out together practically all the time. Every evening. Families with kids get together and effortlessly spend time while the kids entertain each other. This is the norm.

The sense that I don't get enough socialization via work is a serious symptom that I need to nurture real friendships and communities in life.

Re: Is going to the office a broken way of working?

#320

Post by d3nj4l » Tue, Oct 12, 2021, 2:15 AM UTC

lkrubner wrote: post #232

Ancalagon wrote: post #8

I’m gonna go against the HN grain here and, despite having been fully for remote work for the first year or so of the pandemic, come out and say that life has really gotten a lot more repetitive and frankly disappointing since covid and the death of the office. I kind of miss meeting people in the office. I was in the unfortunate position of having moved to a new city for a new tech job where I knew nobody just seven…

I've said this before on Hacker News, and now I wish to repeat, if you live in New York City, I host a once-a-month party, mostly for tech people. Very informal. You can get the vibe from the photos here: http://www.smashcompany.com/philosophy/everyone-was-amazing-... It's simply meant to give people a chance to meet other like minded people. Especially in this era of working-from-home it is too easy to end up feelin…

Just out of concern for your mobile, you should put a challenge for your phone number at least. There's a ton of scrapers out there that pick up phone numbers and automatically add you to spam call lists and the like.

As for the invitation, unfortunately not in New York (or the States), but if I'm ever around I'd probably love to join.