31–40 of 76 posts
I'm surprised security and confidentiality hasn't been more of an issue point. Especially for Apple.
I feel like for many companies that was a problem that had to be solved a long time ago. It's pretty rare that you're not taking home a work laptop, or have work data on your phone or at least a company-provided phone already.
> Go look at Buffer, Zapier, Automattic, GitLab, and more, who are Remote First companies with thriving cultures. I really don't think pointing to a couple companies that are remote and have decent culture invalidates the point that offices foster collaboration and culture sharing. No, it's not impossible to do those things in a remote environment, but it is absolutely much harder. It's not that hard to understand so…
Ironically I think those are the same companies that aren't willing to put in the work required to build strong collaborative cultures _onsite_.
Having worked for a company with a strong in-office culture that's significantly eroded during remote work, no, this isn't remotely true and is an almost comical underestimation of how hard it is to convert from an office-first to remote-first company.
The real issue is that if you're gonna be a remote-first company, you have to truly commit to it, and that requires significant effort and a complete change in mindset across many activities, including a profound retraining of management and staff behaviours.
>MYTH # 2: The office promotes connections I just find this bit entirely unconvincing. I don't have data to back up my claim, but IME 1 in-person interaction is worth ~5-10 'virtual coffee' type interactions via Donut or one of the similar apps. Maybe others feel differently, but I haven't found any substitute for live, in-person get togethers for connecting with colleagues on a personal level.
Not all of us seem to connect with colleagues on a personal level, and prefer to instead optimize for what’s necessary to get our work done. These are not friends; they are workers who share a common compensation provider.
Anecdata: I’ve noticed that the voices in an organisation who are more keen for a return to the office tend to be the managers, directors, leadership sort of roles. I wonder if being in the office is just simply more enjoyable for those with power and influence, while individual contributors (trying to get their work done) find they like it more at home?
> Go look at Buffer, Zapier, Automattic, GitLab, and more, who are Remote First companies with thriving cultures. I really don't think pointing to a couple companies that are remote and have decent culture invalidates the point that offices foster collaboration and culture sharing. No, it's not impossible to do those things in a remote environment, but it is absolutely much harder. It's not that hard to understand so…
for you
> offices foster collaboration and culture sharing...
for you
Not everyone is like you. Your claims simply don't apply to those of us who have an easier time collaborating with professional colleagues remotely. It's unfortunate that we are completely disregarded and told what our preferences should be by people who completely fail or are unwilling to understand us
> Go look at Buffer, Zapier, Automattic, GitLab, and more, who are Remote First companies with thriving cultures. I really don't think pointing to a couple companies that are remote and have decent culture invalidates the point that offices foster collaboration and culture sharing. No, it's not impossible to do those things in a remote environment, but it is absolutely much harder. It's not that hard to understand so…
Anecdata: I’ve noticed that the voices in an organisation who are more keen for a return to the office tend to be the managers, directors, leadership sort of roles. I wonder if being in the office is just simply more enjoyable for those with power and influence, while individual contributors (trying to get their work done) find they like it more at home?
I've come to believe that a lot of what managers, from those immediately overseeing workers, to executive directors, do is pleasurable to them individually, but really has no business reason. That is, it's all about personal power and making their subordinates do work they don't want to do.
If my belief is true, managers will of course be in favor of a return-to-office even if there's no rational reason for that to happen.
> Go look at Buffer, Zapier, Automattic, GitLab, and more, who are Remote First companies with thriving cultures. I really don't think pointing to a couple companies that are remote and have decent culture invalidates the point that offices foster collaboration and culture sharing. No, it's not impossible to do those things in a remote environment, but it is absolutely much harder. It's not that hard to understand so…
> offices foster collaboration and culture sharing... for you > offices foster collaboration and culture sharing... for you Not everyone is like you. Your claims simply don't apply to those of us who have an easier time collaborating with professional colleagues remotely. It's unfortunate that we are completely disregarded and told what our preferences should be by people who completely fail or are unwilling to under…
The direction of decentralized work effort has let people step back from the trees to see the forest, and simply ask why a company thinks it's even worth their in-person time. This should even be a stockholder fundamental question if a chunk of company expenses goes to keeping lights turned on.