Live data from Hacker News

Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

fortune.com

151–160 of 185 posts

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#151

I figure there must just be a personality difference that explains this stuff. I can't fathom it. I do better in the office not at home, I do better in the gym not in my home gym, I do better cycling if I'm with others, I push harder doing basically anything if I'm competing, if I'm in a team, if someone is watching. Particularly if they're attractive, respectable, etc. There's an effect from the setting. My home gym…

It depends on the commuting time though. I used to live 15 mins away from my office and I feel the same way as you. But now, having to commute an hour each way is detrimental to me so working from home is far better.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#152

These remote-vs-office discussions where nobody discusses the actual work involved are fairly pointless. Disregarding the obvious scenarios of presence-required in order to work (i.e. manufacturing), the question applies: what is most productive for "information work"? In my personal experience, I've found collaboration conducted face-to-face far more effective than doing so in a distributed/online way. There is a hi…

Why should employers care about whether or not an employee is giving their all or their minimum? As long as the work is getting done, should it matter?

Because not all work is "done" or "not done"?

Also, if an employee is giving their best effort and their work is at the level it needs to be, maybe it is time to move that employee, or find a better position in the company for them? (Hard worker/high morale, but mismatched skillset to task)

If an employee is just underperforming because they are unmotivated or lazy...same deal...

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#153
post #151

I figure there must just be a personality difference that explains this stuff. I can't fathom it. I do better in the office not at home, I do better in the gym not in my home gym, I do better cycling if I'm with others, I push harder doing basically anything if I'm competing, if I'm in a team, if someone is watching. Particularly if they're attractive, respectable, etc. There's an effect from the setting. My home gym…

It depends on the commuting time though. I used to live 15 mins away from my office and I feel the same way as you. But now, having to commute an hour each way is detrimental to me so working from home is far better.

Fair enough.

For me, if I spend too much time at home, I rapidly lose interest in everything.

I've had 1.5 hour commutes and they sucked. Far less than WFH does for me, or worse, going into the office to then see people doing Zoom calls from their bedrooms. Literally even just seeing that makes me feel down.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In other words, how do we (the employer) ensure our employees aren't moonlighting on our team and only giving the minimum level of effort with us? The tools for properly determining this are no different remote vs in an office at least for IT work. Most dev teams work in sprints and each sprint comes with a commitment from each developer. It is very noticeable even in remote work if a developer is either: - Not mak…

> The tools for properly determining this... This isn't a logically-evaluate-output scenario. It's low-trust between employee and employer. The bullet points listed are highlighting situations where someone isn't delivering. What do you do if they ARE delivering, but not delivering as much as they could be? The "Not making a reasonably sized commitment" is implicitly an assessment of trust in someone. (I'm trying to…

> What do you do if they ARE delivering, but not delivering as much as they could be?

Doesn't matter. What matters is if they are delivering as much as they are expected to.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#155

These remote-vs-office discussions where nobody discusses the actual work involved are fairly pointless. Disregarding the obvious scenarios of presence-required in order to work (i.e. manufacturing), the question applies: what is most productive for "information work"? In my personal experience, I've found collaboration conducted face-to-face far more effective than doing so in a distributed/online way. There is a hi…

> In other words, how do we (the employer) ensure our employees aren't moonlighting on our team and only giving the minimum level of effort with us? The tools for properly determining this are no different remote vs in an office at least for IT work. Most dev teams work in sprints and each sprint comes with a commitment from each developer. It is very noticeable even in remote work if a developer is either: - Not mak…

I’ve worked in 6 companies over 20 years, across many teams. In none of them did devs have to commit to work in sprints. Sure, some did sprints but work rolling over was more a conversation point about priorities and scope of the work rather than a point on which to judge output.

Obviously, there are companies that do this but it’s not as universal as you’re portraying it.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#156

More remote work helps the planet too you know since it reduces ones carbon footprint and more time for people to sleep improves mental health too

Unfortunately, it does not seem to. Others have mentioned how heating and cooling a private residence is more energy intensive per person, but even vehicle miles traveled aren’t reduced. It turns out people just drive to more places that aren’t work and move to more auto dependent communities where they overall drive more.

During the beginning of COVID, there was a big drop in carbon as more worked from home but it was mostly because people weren’t going anywhere.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thar FUD was tired even before the pandemic, let alone when is being used as an illogical back-to-the-office prod. My attitude towards outsourcing at this point is put up or shut up. Nobody would be doing any threatening if there was anything actually there. We already have heard all of the tales of disastrous failed outsourcing attempts and mediocrity in "success".

It’s very different to outsource to a giant Indian consulting firm vs offshoring to a network of people working from home across Western Europe. The former is challenging and not likely to succeed in many scenarios. The latter is now the default playbook at places I work

the key trick is that once you outsource enough of your key competitive advantage - the question arises - what is the company and who creates value - contractors or company management?

why shouldn't these contractors open their own company, do the same work and capture entire value they produce, instead of working for fixed salary?

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#158
post #17

Let's not forget that the Airbnb CEO has vested interest in expansion of remote work. This means more digital nomads and folks who travel to work from anywhere, which benefits the Airbnb Network.

precisely, every single one of these reports is PR to pump Airbnb

> Long-term stays, or stays for 28 nights or longer, were 18% of total gross nights booked, a decline from the previous quarter, when they accounted for 21% of total nights booked.

via airbnb's latest earnings report from last week https://www.marketwatch.com/story/airbnb-stock-falls-sharply...

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thar FUD was tired even before the pandemic, let alone when is being used as an illogical back-to-the-office prod. My attitude towards outsourcing at this point is put up or shut up. Nobody would be doing any threatening if there was anything actually there. We already have heard all of the tales of disastrous failed outsourcing attempts and mediocrity in "success".

It’s very different to outsource to a giant Indian consulting firm vs offshoring to a network of people working from home across Western Europe. The former is challenging and not likely to succeed in many scenarios. The latter is now the default playbook at places I work

I'm in Australia and the company I work at has been moving away from hiring in the US and focusing on Australia. Management put out a possibly poorly phrased but informative statement that they found that the Australian developers were just as talented and productive, but "The exchange rate is very favorable".

The culture, language skills, etc are all mostly similar enough that it's not like some random code sweatshop in India.

Re: Brian Chesky: Ability to hire from anywhere is more valuable than in-office work

#160
post #86

Unless you have a family back home to spend time with, extended work from home is not goof for your mental health.

I had great coworkers but they were not my friends. Saving 1-2 hour per day of commuting and using my breaks to do chores frees up time to see the people I chose to see.

Interaction with acquaintances who aren't really your friends is good for you too, in a different way.

Of course working remote, the folks at the neighborhood coffee shop can fill that role just as well as office coworkers.

Post reply on HN