Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A Hybrid Approach to Work

blog.google

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 169 posts

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#131

Post by neilwilson »

softwaredoug wrote: post #21

> They’re testing new multi-purpose offices and private workspaces, and working with teams to develop advanced video technology that creates greater equity between employees in the office and those joining virtually. It just doesn't work when half of the team can walk by each other's desk, do some impromptu planning, and the other half are spread out across the world effectively uninvolved in these conversations. Nob…

The purpose of the "hybrid working" pitch is to force those who would prefer to work remote back into the central location using "Fear Of Missing Out" (FOMO)

It's essentially another of the very popular nudge tricks that are all the rage at the moment, and will result in everybody being back in the office. The 'choice' on offer isn't a choice at all. It's a management device to all but eliminate remote working and allow them back into their comfort zone.

For remote to work everybody has to be remote and work via a central communication device. That way everybody is in the same 'office space' and the culture evolves around that to get the work done. Management then changes natures to suit the remote environment. (Note you can do 'all remote' on a campus - you give everybody an office!)

I can guarantee you that if firms were required by law to pay for the time spent commuting, they would all choose to go remote permanently unless there was a physical reason to be in the same space.

But it is for the workers to see commuting as part of work time, and calculate what they are getting paid per hour accordingly.

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#134

Post by tebbers »

philmcp wrote: post #133

Imo all jobs should also be offered as either 5 days or 4 days (@80% salary) as a minimum. The lack of flexibility annoyed me so much that I built https://4dayweek.io/ Software jobs with a better work / life balance

This is great. In your experience, what % of companies simply pay the 80% for a 4 day week versus 100% of normal 5-day/week salary (i.e. no salary drop)?

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#135

Post by philmcp »

NoPicklez wrote: post #119
koch wrote: post #12

> reset days I think it's time we admit that a five day work week is counterproductive. Even Google notices this but is probably too big to make that change to a shorter work week; the best they can do is "reset days." Smaller companies seem to be doing fine with a shorter week.[1] [1] Buffer comes to mind first, other examples on 4dayweek.io

I'm interested to know what the idea is behind it being 4 days, why not 3? Or why not a longer week followed by a shorter week? If we make it a 4 day work week, once it becomes the norm whats to say that people wont want a 3 day work week?

There's a happy medium imo. Output / value vs hours has diminishing returns over time and such: - 4 days != 80% output (it's more like 85%) - 3 days != 60% output (it's more like 70%)

I may be biased though as I run https://4dayweek.io/ - Software Jobs with a better work life / balance.

I wrote about the advantages of a 4 day week (for employers) here:

https://4dayweek.io/hire-engineers

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#136

Post by DocTomoe »

koch wrote: post #12

> reset days I think it's time we admit that a five day work week is counterproductive. Even Google notices this but is probably too big to make that change to a shorter work week; the best they can do is "reset days." Smaller companies seem to be doing fine with a shorter week.[1] [1] Buffer comes to mind first, other examples on 4dayweek.io

5 days are fine ... if I can choose which of the five I am working. I'm a big fan of CPGrey's Wednesday concept ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALaTm6VzTBw )

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#137

Post by plutonorm »

benrbray wrote: post #77
elliekelly wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure I completely buy that in-person conversations are a net positive. Constantly being interrupted with drop-in conversations definitely hurts productivity. The vast majority of the time those conversations could have been an email and our two minute chat is going to take me ten minutes to get back in the zone of what I was working on.

It's a matter of etiquette, and of boundaries. In-person conversations are definitely a net positive if your coworkers are well-mannered. Also, there's this new invention called "doors" that I wish companies would get on board with. I hear that "opening" one's "door" can be used as an invitation to chat. :)

You have evidence?

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#138

Post by philmcp »

tebbers wrote: post #134
philmcp wrote: post #133

Imo all jobs should also be offered as either 5 days or 4 days (@80% salary) as a minimum. The lack of flexibility annoyed me so much that I built https://4dayweek.io/ Software jobs with a better work / life balance

This is great. In your experience, what % of companies simply pay the 80% for a 4 day week versus 100% of normal 5-day/week salary (i.e. no salary drop)?

Thanks :) It's still early days regarding the 4 day week but more and more companies are making the switch. Of those who have switched, almost all of them have had no salary drop (e.g. Buffer.com) but admittedly there are only a handful of tech companies atm.

From my perspective, I've been talking to companies and using the 80% salary as leverage - it's clearly not ideal but I think it may be a necessary first step to get more companies to make the switch. I'm also trying to convince companies to list their positions as "open to applications for a 4 day week", rather than advertised as a 4 day week

Small steps...

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#139

Post by throwaway3699 »

what_ever wrote: post #110
slavapestov wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We still don't have any hard evidence that the vaccine stops transmission. It's possible that it keeps you from getting sick while being an asymptomatic spreader. We absolutely do and such studies exist, and furthermore you can see a rapid decline in new cases in countries that have achieved high vaccine coverage, which would not have occurred if vaccines did not prevent onward transmission.

> We absolutely do Source please. CDC hasn't said anything about this.

What do you make of https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases ?

Re: A Hybrid Approach to Work

#140

Post by trhway »

draklor40 wrote: post #132

"Pending approval from your manager/lead" - Corporate doublespeak for Don't even think about going full time remote. We are going to drag you back kicking and screaming.

it is a typical corporate doublespeak and approach for stratification of perks - the higher strata would easily be granted the approval, no questions asked, while the lower - what you described.
Post reply on HN