Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups • Hacker News Board

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#21

Post by mgkimsal » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:23 AM UTC

mgerdts wrote: post #3

PSA: Used office chairs are a much better deal than new, at least if you are paying close to list price. About 10 years ago I bought a steelcase leap for less than $300. I've used it at least 250 days a year since then with no problems. List price on that chair is $1k.

Last fall two regional banks merged, and they consolidated office space. A removals company was in charge of the move, and had a big sale. I missed the first weekend, but snagged 18 steelcase aria chairs - delivered to our coworking space - for $600 (and they took and disposed of 12 older chairs) These chairs' MSRP is $720 each.

Possibly one of the best bargains ever for me.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#22

Post by minhaz23 » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:29 AM UTC

jackschultz wrote: post #12

I'm a remote worker and I've found it hard to say something positive about the virus, but having companies be more ok with remote workers and (hopefully) finding work still gets done can mean more remote possibilities overall. For me, that's a good thing.

I saw someone mention that whats to stop them from getting comfortable with remote workerse and then hiring cheaper labor from the next state over, inevitably taking advantage of skilled international yet cheap labor, remotely?

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#23

Post by azhenley » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:36 AM UTC

janesvilleseo wrote: post #15

I have worked from home for nearly a decade. I guess I don’t know what I’m missing but I don’t need 1k chair. I sit at my dinning room table on a 50 dollar chair from Ashley Furniture. No problems at all. True I don’t have a desktop and use a laptop so I can take it with me to onsite meetings or move to another location like my patio, couch, or garage. I’m not sure what I’d spend 1k on besides the machine I use to ge…

For me a nice monitor is a must. I cannot be productive on a laptop for more than an hour or two. It all feels so constricting.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#24

Post by abhijat » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:43 AM UTC

omegabravo wrote: post #16

mgerdts wrote: post #3

PSA: Used office chairs are a much better deal than new, at least if you are paying close to list price. About 10 years ago I bought a steelcase leap for less than $300. I've used it at least 250 days a year since then with no problems. List price on that chair is $1k.

I bought a brand new one and it's fantastic. The used market for premium chairs in my remote part of the country is non-existent. I certainly would have bought a second hand one since they are so well built.

Same, I bought a herman miller chair new about 6 years ago, there is no used chair that I could find in India.

But even when bought new, something that gets used so much everyday is worth the price.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#25

Post by aprdm » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:47 AM UTC

minhaz23 wrote: post #22

jackschultz wrote: post #12

I'm a remote worker and I've found it hard to say something positive about the virus, but having companies be more ok with remote workers and (hopefully) finding work still gets done can mean more remote possibilities overall. For me, that's a good thing.

I saw someone mention that whats to stop them from getting comfortable with remote workerse and then hiring cheaper labor from the next state over, inevitably taking advantage of skilled international yet cheap labor, remotely?

You producing a better value for the company than the "cheap labor" from the next state or country.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#26

Post by abhijat » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:48 AM UTC

travisjungroth wrote: post #9

geocrasher wrote: post #5

You can buy a Herman Miller refurb on Amazon for $500. It's a great deal. You also need a second monitor, mechanical keyboard, webcam, headset. $1k is plenty for all of that

Not at all the most important thing, but mechanical keyboards are going to be sold out so fast. There are tons of people who want them, but just don’t want to bug people in their office. WFH will change that. And it’s mostly small suppliers who won’t scale that fast. I imagine they use some Chinese parts, too.

Cherry MX browns might be an option, they are supposed to be quiet.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#27

Post by WalterBright » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:53 AM UTC

mgerdts wrote: post #3

PSA: Used office chairs are a much better deal than new, at least if you are paying close to list price. About 10 years ago I bought a steelcase leap for less than $300. I've used it at least 250 days a year since then with no problems. List price on that chair is $1k.

My office chair was $14 from Goodwill. Thrift stores are great places for office furniture. And when you're done with it, just donate it back so someone else can use it!

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#28

Post by WalterBright » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:55 AM UTC

40acres wrote: post #13

Damn this is awesome. I'm actually dreading working from home because I don't have a desk, keyboard, or anything of the sort.

Dining tables make the best desks. Lots of surface area, and plenty of room underneath for cables and boxen.

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#29

Post by WalterBright » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 4:57 AM UTC

azhenley wrote: post #23

janesvilleseo wrote: post #15

I have worked from home for nearly a decade. I guess I don’t know what I’m missing but I don’t need 1k chair. I sit at my dinning room table on a 50 dollar chair from Ashley Furniture. No problems at all. True I don’t have a desktop and use a laptop so I can take it with me to onsite meetings or move to another location like my patio, couch, or garage. I’m not sure what I’d spend 1k on besides the machine I use to ge…

For me a nice monitor is a must. I cannot be productive on a laptop for more than an hour or two. It all feels so constricting.

You can get some real nice monitors for $30 from the thrift store. I'm looking at one on my desk right now :-)

Re: Shopify is giving its employees $1k to furnish their work-from-home setups

#30

Post by yibg » Thu, Mar 12, 2020, 5:00 AM UTC

frenchie14 wrote: post #20

> Spotify did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. They should probably ask Shopify to comment instead =P

I've noticed that BI's articles are full of typos. Not sure if they just rush things out or what, but some of them are so obvious if anyone did a round of proof reading they would've spotted it.