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Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

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Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#102
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You say that like senior management typically makes decisions based on data and facts, rather than the reality where they just shoot from the hip using their "gut." By the same logic implied here, we cannot trust senior management to know what they're doing. PS - Also Google's measures of productivity are terrible, that's why they keep starting/killing new projects ever other week, and killed their golden goose in th…

Can't trust the senior managers of one of the largest revenue generating companies on the plant? With probably the highest Revenue per employee ever in the history of modern business (if not highest, up there). I dunno, seems like they are doing ok at their jobs....

No, you cannot trust management at google. This site is clear evidence of that:

https://killedbygoogle.com/

I can think of no product at google that is not overshadowed by their policy of non-support. The culture that leads to their innovation also informs trust. If there is any such thing as "too innovative" then google is it.

This is why Azure is doing so much better than google in cloud computing despite the fact that google invented modern cloud computing. People trust Microsoft to support their products.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#103

What people say they will do when there's no cost associated with an action and what people will actually do once a cost IS associated with the same action are frequently 2 different things. Bob Lutz, in his self-aggrandizing book "Gutz", describes the initial phase of an automobile design project where a survey is conducted asking respondents whether they would prefer a vehicle with heated cupholders. It turned out…

There was a blog post posted here recently from someone who saw Google as a "family" and drank a lot of koolaid, as well as stories of high levels of entitlement. I wonder if there's a similar phenomenon going on where people assume that companies pampering them is a given and that they can get anything they want by complaining enough.

What they might find instead is the shock that "grass is greener on the other side" was a lie all along.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#104
post #58

At a virtual work meeting (in Germany) we were talking about the employer's right to know the employee's vaccination status. Clearly both sides have good arguments. It's going to be interesting.

Hah, that did occur to me as a strategy for fending off the soon-to-come "get back to the office" edict.

Hopefully we can all meet half way with some form of flexible working. One size doesn't fit all.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#105

What people say they will do when there's no cost associated with an action and what people will actually do once a cost IS associated with the same action are frequently 2 different things. Bob Lutz, in his self-aggrandizing book "Gutz", describes the initial phase of an automobile design project where a survey is conducted asking respondents whether they would prefer a vehicle with heated cupholders. It turned out…

Probably. Its the same as people saying they'll move to Canada if so and so becomes president. A few people do, but the vast majority don't.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#106
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You say that like senior management typically makes decisions based on data and facts, rather than the reality where they just shoot from the hip using their "gut." By the same logic implied here, we cannot trust senior management to know what they're doing. PS - Also Google's measures of productivity are terrible, that's why they keep starting/killing new projects ever other week, and killed their golden goose in th…

I love how engineers pretend that they are the only ones acting rationally. It's as if they are playing chess and can never think there might be a reason behind the other players move, only their plan makes sense.

The other option is that management is lying about what is important to them. I can accept that as well.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#107
post #7

It seems strange that Google management would push so hard on this. Nearly everyone I've spoken to has reported that WFH productivity has been equal, if not better than pre-pandemic. What possible upside could there be that justifies forcing the issue and hurting morale by pissing so many people off? Sure, maybe there's an argument that a fully remote company has a hard time propagating a coherent corporate culture.…

My company made a survey earlier this year about WFH. There was overwhelming support for it. Around 90 % want to work at least one day per week from home. A quarter want to work completely from home. Employer satisfaction went up a lot in 2020. Productivity, revenue, earnings and new hires reached unprecedented levels for the company.

Management went over this in the virtual all-hands meeting. They acknowledged all the reports - 2020 being "The Best Year for The Company, Ever", 2021 on the same road. Then concluded with: "We don't like seeing all that empty office space, so everyone will be brought back as soon as possible". I'm not paraphrasing - they literally said they don't like empty offices.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GOOG folks, FB is recruiting stressing on "remote". Call a recruiter today!

But then you’d have to work for Facebook… cringe

Quality of life improvement when you work remote is several fold higher. You have to experience it. I've been working remote (consulting) for about 4 years now. My wife has done it about 1/2 her career. We live in sunny SoCal (expensive, but very tolerable when you don't have to get on the freeways).

Take care of No. 1 first. That is you. GOOG folks, please don't cringe at FB. There is no difference.

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GOOG folks, FB is recruiting stressing on "remote". Call a recruiter today!

But then you’d have to work for Facebook… cringe

... when you already work for Google?

Re: Google's push to bring employees back to offices, some say they'll rather quit

#110

What people say they will do when there's no cost associated with an action and what people will actually do once a cost IS associated with the same action are frequently 2 different things. Bob Lutz, in his self-aggrandizing book "Gutz", describes the initial phase of an automobile design project where a survey is conducted asking respondents whether they would prefer a vehicle with heated cupholders. It turned out…

While technically correct, I think you are dramatically overestimating the difficulty ex-googlers have in getting a new job.
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