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Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

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Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#121

Post by robertlagrant »

sokoloff wrote: post #110
fendy3002 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then what's the problem? There'll be work record somewhere, either emails, commits (if they're software engineers) or system audit trails. Moreover if you ask those 20 people during performance review, it'll clear as day.

People who get unblocked by Pat and as a result accomplish their work are very likely to talk about the latter and forget/not mention the former when it comes to performance review time.

Yes, and not because they don't care about Pat, but because they don't see the other timeline where Pat didn't help and it took them a week to figure it out (or wait for Pat to spot their issue).

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#122

Post by cajunboi34213 »

johnnyanmac wrote: post #120
vitehozonage wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still dont get it. That's just precisely the same as sending a instant message but it has an audio option? I've tried doing audio messages before but i find it unbearable - both to listen to them and record them. I just love async text; i want nothing more than email/github

I haven't done walkie talkies, but one thing at a previous job that worked great was an "office hour" meeting. There wasn't necessarily anything urgent, but for an hour a day there'd be a low-priority period to come in and talk about anything from a persistent issue that needs a lead's eye, to watercooler talk. It feels like a simple gesture, but it solved many issues at once: - unless something urgent was scheduled…

We tried the office hours. It was my most dreaded meeting of the week. Others on the team shared the sentiment. The biggest issue is, it was at an inconvenient time for everyone. No one wants to "hang out" at 8 AM or 11 PM or 4 PM. If too many people showed up we all just sat there awkwardly. If not enough people showed up, we sat there awkwardly. We tried music, or doing some activity together. It always felt forced. I cringe just recalling it.

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#123

Post by prmoustache »

RHSeeger wrote: post #101
prmoustache wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is always a fraction of people who will chose to go to the office. That's enough to have social connection. These persons do not have to be on your own team. The last 10 years or so I have been working on teams splitted in 3 to 5 different countries, and now in 3 different continents. In that case you are effectively working remotely even when your are working in a company's office.

Can't say I agree with that. Seeing "anyone" is not the same as seeing the people you're close to (work closely with, know well). It certainly doesn't bring me the same mental benefit.

It is not the same but having teams split in different timezones has other benefits and it is often desirable to work that way. One example: on teams handling operationnal roles having teammates in different timezones being primary responders avoid being on call outside of your office hours.

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#124

Post by johnnyanmac »

cajunboi34213 wrote: post #122
johnnyanmac wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't done walkie talkies, but one thing at a previous job that worked great was an "office hour" meeting. There wasn't necessarily anything urgent, but for an hour a day there'd be a low-priority period to come in and talk about anything from a persistent issue that needs a lead's eye, to watercooler talk. It feels like a simple gesture, but it solved many issues at once: - unless something urgent was scheduled…

We tried the office hours. It was my most dreaded meeting of the week. Others on the team shared the sentiment. The biggest issue is, it was at an inconvenient time for everyone. No one wants to "hang out" at 8 AM or 11 PM or 4 PM. If too many people showed up we all just sat there awkwardly. If not enough people showed up, we sat there awkwardly. We tried music, or doing some activity together. It always felt forced…

Sorry to hear that, I can definitely and easily see it going wrong, so it was important on my team to emphasize

1. this was completely optional. it was a daily timeslot but we didn't go every day. We were more than free to schedule other meetings over it as it was the lowest priority.

2. Timezones will always be weird, but fwiw ours was at 3pm and slotted for an hour. Usually we could go over if there was a particularly thorny task but we respected everyone's time. Towards the end of the day but not quite around the point where we started to check out for the day.

3. The time should hopefully feel productive in some way. We never did any kind of "team bonding exercise" that'd fit more into some party icebreaker. we were professionals, and outside of some very specific hobbies members shared (e.g. half the team loved music production and would occasionally talk about sound design topics) I'd say 80% of the "active" hours were focused more on getting unblocked from some tasks. I think that's why it was important to frame it as "office hours" and not "social time".

4. It was absolutely okay to have quieter days. There was no pressure to speak out or pretend to be engaged or whatnot. After the first few weeks we'd normally just start with no video on and it'd be a small voice chat. There were days where 1 or more members just cut out early (and since it was a 4-6 person team, if half or more weren't engaged and the rest weren't stuck, we'd just not do it). There were others where it was just maybe 5 minutes of small talk and people just stayed in the ambience. It was common for at least one person at any time to be muted, so again: no pressure to engage. It was time for us to utilize.

Maybe it simply doesn't work for you, but I wouldn't cast off the entire idea just yet.

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#125

Post by giftjames121 »

jawns wrote: post #9

I am at a point in my career where I can be selective and only consider 100% remote roles. I am also a manager, so I understand some of the management challenges that lead people to dismiss or be skeptical of the claim that remote work can be just as effective as office work. One thing I will admit: It is harder, as a remote manager, to manage low performers or people who show signs of disengagement. You can get more…

[dead]

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#127

Post by imagineerschool »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #69
imagineerschool wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"None of this work really matters in the end" I look forward to this not being true

I wish you meaningful work if you can find it. Most work is not; self awareness and full context is important in how we operate when interacting with others professionally. If you die tomorrow, are fired, or laid off, you will be replaced. If your company fails, you will move on to the next job. Per the US BLS, approximately 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 45% during the first fiv…

The legitimately world changing life improving work I do somehow always happens to be unpaid. Funny how that works :)

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#128

Post by hahamrfunnyguy »

rrr_oh_man wrote: post #35
hahamrfunnyguy wrote: post #27

In 2008 or so I worked for a consulting company where most of the workers were remote. Eventually, they opened up an office where I lived. We were encouraged (required?) to come into the office a few days a week. We free parking, table tennis and a cooler stocked with pop and beer. My teams were always remote but I found the social aspects to be beneficial.

> My teams were always remote but I found the social aspects to be beneficial. Yeah, but did you use those "office days" for work, really? Or for socialising? (Not saying socialising is unnecessary in a good team)

I'd say I got the same amount of work done in office as out of office. Usually I worked a slightly longer day if I worked from home though.

Re: Why Bad CEOs Fear Remote Work (2021)

#129

Post by toomuchtodo »

imagineerschool wrote: post #127
toomuchtodo wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish you meaningful work if you can find it. Most work is not; self awareness and full context is important in how we operate when interacting with others professionally. If you die tomorrow, are fired, or laid off, you will be replaced. If your company fails, you will move on to the next job. Per the US BLS, approximately 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 45% during the first fiv…

The legitimately world changing life improving work I do somehow always happens to be unpaid. Funny how that works :)

Knowing this is half the battle :) money first, then meaning.
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