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Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

businessinsider.com

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Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#211

Post by NationalPark »

gdulli wrote: post #203
turing_complete wrote: post #193

Working in an office will be a major competitive advantage in the years to come.

Do you mean the increased productivity will be the competitive advantage, or they'll have a recruitment advantage to be able to attract candidates with a comfortable work space so they're not stuck at home? As a hypothetical candidate in my next job search whenever that is, I'll definitely be wanting the latter.

Personally I suspect early-stage companies, and companies working on "hard" technical problems that require more collaboration and abstract thinking will have an advantage by working in person. But who knows! Maybe a silver lining of the pandemic is that we'll finally get some usable data on the effects of remote work and remote culture.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#212

Post by marta_morena_28 »

whoisburbansky wrote: post #123
derefr wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. I’m forgetting their name for them, but IBM has been doing this for decades now. They buy up office space in every major city, and then, rather than permanently stationing any teams there, essentially make all such spaces into private-acces…

Isn't that exactly what WeWork's business model was?

Yes except that IBM has revenue it generates from people (not) being there, while WeWork only loses money :D.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#213

Post by loganfrederick »

silentsea90 wrote: post #209
whoisburbansky wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that exactly what WeWork's business model was?

All of us naysayers failed to appreciate the foresight that Mr Neumann and Softbank displayed. Joke's on us :D

The fundamentals were not bad ideas. Regus has been doing things similar to WeWork for decades.

Neumann committing fraud, poor cash management, and self-dealing conflicts of interest are what killed WeWork. Not the coworking space concept.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#214

Post by batmenace »

hintymad wrote: post #164

In the early days of Dropbox, engineers went to really loud bars late in the night, and them settled their designs in the bar with god-knows how much drink. This culture made it really hard for engineers with a family, or for those like me who simply hate, I mean really hate, noisy place or excessive drinking. Well, I guess this WFH policy would help leveling the playground. Bar culture sucks.

Wouldn't the WFH culture also encourage (post-COVID) a lot of informal meetings, people getting together in coffee shops, bars etc to discuss things in person?

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#215

Post by wffurr »

rogerkirkness wrote: post #181
wffurr wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ethernet setup - do you hire techs and electricians to run cabling? The biggest issue with me for WFH has been the quality of my internet connection and it was entirely on me to get Comcast to come fix my lines and run my own ethernet to my basement "office".

Get a Powerline and ethernet adapter for your laptop. Won't link here due to spam, just search 'Ethernet Powerline' on Amazon.

Unless you're on an AFCI circuit or split circuits in your house. Or have old wiring.

I tried one in my old place and it was really poor - much worse than congested WiFi (dense neighborhood in a large apartment building).

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#216

Post by xav0989 »

leetcrew wrote: post #118
dubcanada wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume that's in the US? You don't have to do that in Canada.

I don't think you get to write off work expenses as a W2 (ie, hourly or salaried) employee in the US. pretty sure only independent contractors get to do this. otherwise, everyone would be doing this for commuting expenses.

(At least in Canada) commute to your "usual place of business" is explicitely excluded from write-off. Also, if your employer reimburses you for travel (mileage) you can't write it off at tax time.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#217

Post by ryandrake »

ashtonkem wrote: post #206
dhouston wrote: post #33

To be clear (if you only read the headline :)), not entirely remote. Solo work at home, collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely, which is problematic for building teams and culture; and ad hoc "WFH whenever you feel like it" ge…

Like you, I am genuinely baffled by "WFH 4 days a week" arrangements (as compared to "WFH when you have errands that make it necessary", which is pretty common). If I have to come into the office 1 day a week, then I still have to foot the bill for a home office within driving range of the office, which sucks. I think at once a quarter you're starting to look at the ability to live on the other side of the country an…

If your office is in SF, WFH 4 days a week doesn't let you live in ultra-low-cost rural Iowa but it could let you at least work in slightly-lower-cost Modesto or even Redding. Not ideal but better than a $4K/mo SF apartment. I think I'd be willing to live with a 4 hour commute once a week (or get your private pilot's license and you're about 1.5 hours away). Not convenient but do-able.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#218

Post by ghaff »

dhouston wrote: post #33

To be clear (if you only read the headline :)), not entirely remote. Solo work at home, collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely, which is problematic for building teams and culture; and ad hoc "WFH whenever you feel like it" ge…

>Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely

Not necessarily. I work in a group that's very distributed and we get together (normally) a couple of times a year plus another once or twice with a larger group.

Of course, that doesn't work if it's more like getting together in person every week or two.

In any case, I agree it makes sense to collaborate. If you wander into the office and no one you know and work with is there, it doesn't make much sense to come in.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#219

Post by sib »

ashtonkem wrote: post #206
dhouston wrote: post #33

To be clear (if you only read the headline :)), not entirely remote. Solo work at home, collaborative work in "studios", basically reimagining the offices into collaborative/convening spaces that you go into from ~once/week to once a quarter depending on team/role. Remote-only cuts out the in-person experience entirely, which is problematic for building teams and culture; and ad hoc "WFH whenever you feel like it" ge…

Like you, I am genuinely baffled by "WFH 4 days a week" arrangements (as compared to "WFH when you have errands that make it necessary", which is pretty common). If I have to come into the office 1 day a week, then I still have to foot the bill for a home office within driving range of the office, which sucks. I think at once a quarter you're starting to look at the ability to live on the other side of the country an…

I think coming in to the office 1x / week would let you live quite a bit further away than coming in 5x / week. At least for me, I could do a 60-90-minute drive to work 1 day per week, but would not want to 5 days.

Re: Dropbox Converts to Permanent WFH

#220

Post by sgustard »

geerlingguy wrote: post #7

WFH saves money for the company, I just hope that some of the expensive (to the company) perks like prime real estate, free meals, exercise programs, etc. can be translated into at least a minimal budget per employee of: Internet connection reimbursement, annual budget for workspace improvements (ideally with a large initial budget, like $1000 or more for desk, monitor, chair, etc.), and possibly some other perks. Bu…

I don't remember companies passing those savings along when they moved from offices to cubicles to save money.
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