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Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

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Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#131
Makes me think of David Graeber's book Bullshit Jobs. In it he notes that people in power try to get as many underlings as possible whether it's useful for the company or not. I wonder if management has felt "out of control" and less "powerful" now that people are working from home.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#132
post #51

I work for another company that is going to do a partial return to office. I will be looking at options for companies that offer full in person office (or 90% in person office) after things settle down. I have worked full remote for a total of 5 years of my career, and I believe working in the office is a competitive advantage. * Overhearing hallway conversations (and joining them) helps spawn invocation. * I often d…

Yeah but you get the most bang for your buck out of rent. What's the point of renting in NYC or SF if your only there for like 2 hours.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#133
post #33

Why? Because of the already sunk cost into office space? Any other reasons? I know I can drive 40 min and stare at the same laptop and email/zoom with the same people. What’s in it for me? All I see is unnecessary agony, and a lot of it. I produce more from home. Why does an employer want me to suffer more, even if it will cost them? What’s in it for them?

So executives can lord over their kingdom. Why else?

More like, so middle managers can lord of their kingdom. Executives will keep in their upper offices, or on their yachts

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#134
Recruiters on LinkedIn already picked up on this and predictions of this. Last few weeks they've all been emphasizing "fully remote but SV pay-scales". I'd expect many resignations given this Mon+Wed+Thu selection that clearly says "we need your asses in our chairs, and damn the data that says otherwise"

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#136
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does everyone here just assume that everyone’s commute is as bad as theirs? There are many people in the current working generation that avoided the soul-sucking suburban commute from the start.

> Why does everyone here just assume that everyone’s commute is as bad as theirs? Because statistically it would be representative. Also because even if the office is next door, you need to get dressed properly, prepare, etc., which eats at least half hour every morning.

You should get dressed properly and prepare even if you're working from home.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#137
post #122

Why? Because of the already sunk cost into office space? Any other reasons? I know I can drive 40 min and stare at the same laptop and email/zoom with the same people. What’s in it for me? All I see is unnecessary agony, and a lot of it. I produce more from home. Why does an employer want me to suffer more, even if it will cost them? What’s in it for them?

A wild guess: execs supplement their income by having stakes in food/rent businesses around the HQ offices. If employees don't come, those businesses will lose customers and the execs will suffer. I mean, if you were such an exec and knew the corp is about to build a large office somewhere, wouldn't you buy 40-60% stakes in key businesses there while they are cheap? And wouldn't you cry wolf if the new office never o…

Definitely not difficult to vote a new member into a board as a passive member with that logic. I never thought of that before honestly but it makes perfect sense.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#138
post #68
post #51

I work for another company that is going to do a partial return to office. I will be looking at options for companies that offer full in person office (or 90% in person office) after things settle down. I have worked full remote for a total of 5 years of my career, and I believe working in the office is a competitive advantage. * Overhearing hallway conversations (and joining them) helps spawn invocation. * I often d…

> I save money by spending less on food, drinks, and electricity. Compared to commuting (car+gas) and time-to-commute opportunity costs (to use for personal house tasks, side projects, self health)? I seriously doubt it.

Ones support of WFH seems to depend almost entirely on their distance from the office. The other stuff is superfluous.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#139

I wonder how a VC would feel if a startup said “we have some ideas but our real innovation comes from people just randomly running into each other in the hallway. Will you invest?”

> I wonder how a VC would feel if a startup said “we have some ideas but our real innovation comes from people just randomly running into each other in the hallway. Will you invest?”

I'm sure they would not invest in you because you didn't understand the arguments of office vs remote work. They'd probably think you were kinda dumb if your entire knowledge of human interaction was reduced down to "randomly running into each other in the hallway".

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#140

Not at all a brave or innovative move. These companies are already globally distributed. They have remote sites. And now they have a year of fully remote work under their belt where it has been proven that remote can work. Forcing people into concentrated residential and economic centers instead of giving them the freedom to work from anywhere seems not just backwards (foregoing a way to keep employees happy) but dra…

Apple stopped being brave and innovative long ago.
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