Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
blog.jonliv.es
Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
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Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#2You've pretty much outlined all the pros and cons of working remotely. However working remotely is not so common in Europe than it is in US. Probably Europe is lacking behind with 5+ years, because most of the companies here are still on the "top-notch MBA consulting" staff. I still meet people who make their living from 2 excel files they copied from their Big4 internship :)
You said you are the only guy outside US. Have you tries looking for something "nearby"?
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#3Excellent analysis of remote working. I worked for nine years remotely (full-time for the last three years) with an entirely remote team, and most of this article rings true. Flying team members in every so often for in-person meetings is hugely valuable.
This subject is near and dear to me, as I live in a rural area and I'd like to find another full-time remote position. I'm frustrated by the opposition to remote devs from so many tech companies, who ought to be the last ones to resist this obvious solution. Many of the reasons ring hollow when the same companies lament the lack of qualified candidates to fill their positions -- they're essentially saying that they'd rather do without than deal with the potential downsides of remote workers.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#4Excellent analysis of remote working. I worked for nine years remotely (full-time for the last three years) with an entirely remote team, and most of this article rings true. Flying team members in every so often for in-person meetings is hugely valuable. This subject is near and dear to me, as I live in a rural area and I'd like to find another full-time remote position. I'm frustrated by the opposition to remote de…
This is due to mediocre middle/upper management. For them it is a huge difference if you are the building next to theirs or in some rural area, although in both cases you will communicate through the wire.
The business is already global, soon or later they'll have to accept this.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#5I wouldn't recommend making office visits a requirement, however, as some companies appear to do. Like all things corporate-mandated, this can seem heavy-handed and present logistical challenges for remote workers.
I believe I've seen some companies requiring quarterly travel, and this places a burden on devs with families, pets, etc.
Even then, would those who opt-out be treated differently? ("Well Jon has no problem traveling to the office, why do you?")
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#6On the "Substandard Treatment", my personal experience is the loss of power. I was the team lead for a government project. My wife took a job she always wanted; we move 900 miles away to Florida. Pretty much after that, while still team lead, the team lost cohesion. It was harder to drive changes and tasks at a distance than if I was in someone's cube.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#7On the "Substandard Treatment", my personal experience is the loss of power. I was the team lead for a government project. My wife took a job she always wanted; we move 900 miles away to Florida. Pretty much after that, while still team lead, the team lost cohesion. It was harder to drive changes and tasks at a distance than if I was in someone's cube.
You lost team spirit, but this is not because of the distance. It is either "team culture" or your personal skills.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#8You've pretty much outlined all the pros and cons of working remotely. However working remotely is not so common in Europe than it is in US. Probably Europe is lacking behind with 5+ years, because most of the companies here are still on the "top-notch MBA consulting" staff. I still meet people who make their living from 2 excel files they copied from their Big4 internship :) You said you are the only guy outside US.…
I think you're hugely overestimating how many US companies support remote working.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#9I've been working remotely for a big bank for the past 7 years. I don't go into an office and haven't seen my team in the past 4 years.
The last time people got together for a project kickoff a few years back they just sat around a conference table all on webex. I stayed home.
Unfortunately new management is taking away the remote option for new hires for the most part. Also some people based on where they live had to go back into the office.
For myself, I never felt a difference in work, other than I didn't have to have headphones on all the time to try and get any work done in a cube and no tie. I did find that it can lead you to feel 'alone' during the day when wife is at work and kids at school I guess. Though after getting a dog who wants to play and go out it's not as bad :-).
When I move on from this job, it will be VERY hard to not work at least some days remotely. There aren't a lot of jobs around here that offer that. That is a downside of doing this so long, it just becomes how you work and how your day is supposed to be. I've tuned my life around it.
Re: Remote Working – 3 Year Retrospective
#10You've pretty much outlined all the pros and cons of working remotely. However working remotely is not so common in Europe than it is in US. Probably Europe is lacking behind with 5+ years, because most of the companies here are still on the "top-notch MBA consulting" staff. I still meet people who make their living from 2 excel files they copied from their Big4 internship :) You said you are the only guy outside US.…
Oh I don't mind being the only non-US person, I love my job :) I was more presenting it as a factor that plays into my views.