Programmers are most likely to work from home • Hacker News Board

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#161

Post by shrimp_emoji » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:47 PM UTC

eddieh wrote: post #12

I like working from my office. I don't understand people that like working from home. Possible confounding variable: I live exactly two blocks from my office and don't have to commute. Perhaps, in actuality, people don't like to commute?

I like working from my home. I don't understand people that like working from an office.

Possible confounding variable: I hate commuting and being in less privacy and comfort than I am at home. Perhaps, in actuality, people like convenience and comfort?

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#162

Post by hectorperez » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:48 PM UTC

NumberSix wrote: post #112

The article does not discuss the impact of the open office movement. I've worked from home, in actual offices, in cubicles both cramped and spacious, and open offices. It can be quite difficult to focus at home due to various distractions, especially if you do not have a separate room or area for work. It is difficult to separate work and non-work with a home office. There are a variety of communications issues with…

I didn't know about Deep Work! I added you and part of your comment to the list of people who prefer (and who do not prefer) remote-work: https://goo.gl/74E3BS

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#163

Post by ranit » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:48 PM UTC

humbleMouse wrote: post #34

School-Cotton wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you really are a top performer, a big part of the justification for your high pay is because you multiply your impact by mentoring more junior employees.

I respectfully disagree. The justification for my high pay is because I integrate complex systems with shitty vendor web service api's and automate the transmission of sensitive data. The work I am doing has a huge impact on profitability of my company - much more than the joke of a 6 figure rate they are paying to keep me around. I avoid being a fulltime employee because I don't want to have some unwritten commitmen…

Out of curiosity: if you are a contract employee, what does 6 figure rate mean? Contractors are usually paid an hourly rate.

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#164

Post by komali2 » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:49 PM UTC

humbleMouse wrote: post #15

There is a dirty secret that nobody talks about and the real reason that companies want programmers in the office. Companies want their top performers in the office so they can serve as trainers/mentors/teachers to the new college kids and the incompetent older people they hire. I think this is the real reason companies crack down on working from home. It's infuriating as a top performer - I just want to get my assig…

You're backpedalling hard, but it doesn't change the fact that you said:

> I just want to get my assigned work done and leave it at that. I don't want to teach all your shitty college grads how to actually code.

I'd say stay behind your statement, man. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel, and despite the fact that your feelings are generating ire from those that are more generous with their time, backpedaling isn't going to make anybody think you don't feel that way.

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#165

Post by theandrewbailey » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:49 PM UTC

humbleMouse wrote: post #15

There is a dirty secret that nobody talks about and the real reason that companies want programmers in the office. Companies want their top performers in the office so they can serve as trainers/mentors/teachers to the new college kids and the incompetent older people they hire. I think this is the real reason companies crack down on working from home. It's infuriating as a top performer - I just want to get my assig…

I'm not buying the training/mentoring argument. Companies want their hires to have all the knowledge about what they use before they are hired. If you don't have those skills and this experience, you simply won't be hired in favor of someone who does.

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#166

Post by lovich » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:49 PM UTC

John23832 wrote: post #45

humbleMouse wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I respectfully disagree. The justification for my high pay is because I integrate complex systems with shitty vendor web service api's and automate the transmission of sensitive data. The work I am doing has a huge impact on profitability of my company - much more than the joke of a 6 figure rate they are paying to keep me around. I avoid being a fulltime employee because I don't want to have some unwritten commitmen…

Nobody wants your unwavering loyalty... mentorship is a part of any job. From bagging at your local grocery store, to the CEO of a Fortune 500. No offense, but it just sounds like you don't really like being around/interacting with people. Theres not necessarily anything wrong with that, but it's not really conducive to long term success... whether that success be in your job, or life in general.

Not that I agree with humbleMouse ,as I view mentoring juniors as something I should pass on for having been mentored when I was a junior, but there are lots of companies I've interviewed for that do want unwavering loyalty. Ones that view <5 years at a job as job hopping even when they give 0% raises every year

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#167

Post by komali2 » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:50 PM UTC

humbleMouse wrote: post #34

School-Cotton wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you really are a top performer, a big part of the justification for your high pay is because you multiply your impact by mentoring more junior employees.

I respectfully disagree. The justification for my high pay is because I integrate complex systems with shitty vendor web service api's and automate the transmission of sensitive data. The work I am doing has a huge impact on profitability of my company - much more than the joke of a 6 figure rate they are paying to keep me around. I avoid being a fulltime employee because I don't want to have some unwritten commitmen…

Well, you can disagree, but every engineering manager I've ever worked with would be surprised to hear you say that.

Small test - what would happen if you shared these thoughts with your boss? Maybe you work for a company that doesn't care about mentoring newbie employees, but I'd be surprised if that was the case.

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#168

Post by return0 » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:50 PM UTC

eddieh wrote: post #12

I like working from my office. I don't understand people that like working from home. Possible confounding variable: I live exactly two blocks from my office and don't have to commute. Perhaps, in actuality, people don't like to commute?

Have you tried both?

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#169

Post by geofft » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:50 PM UTC

humbleMouse wrote: post #15

There is a dirty secret that nobody talks about and the real reason that companies want programmers in the office. Companies want their top performers in the office so they can serve as trainers/mentors/teachers to the new college kids and the incompetent older people they hire. I think this is the real reason companies crack down on working from home. It's infuriating as a top performer - I just want to get my assig…

Are you compensated / rewarded for your mentorship? That is, come performance review time, does "I spent half of my time at work in the last year training folks and they said it was great" count as a positive, or a negative because you were expected to get other things done?

Re: Programmers are most likely to work from home

#170

Post by cmdrfred » Wed, Apr 12, 2017, 4:50 PM UTC

sigi45 wrote: post #148

skizm wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I will name some the reasons I like to work from home and none involve a commute: - I'm in an open office situation. - Standing desk is awkward when everyone else is sitting. - If I make a loud noise eating or sneezing or something like 5 people stare at me trying to figure out what is going on. - I can't have twitch or a baseball game on in the background because nosey co-workers will walk by, see my screen, and com…

What can you really concentrate on when there is commentary somewhere oO?! There is a fucking difference between commentary and music and radio btw.

I do the same thing. I can listen to talk radio and read a book at the same time. I get similar responses to what you have said here.