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Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

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Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#251

Post by yellowapple »

darawk wrote: post #237
alexgmcm wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they do then why don't they share it? I mean they must realise this is a pretty unpopular decision so why not share their justification. Otherwise it's just an appeal to authority - "Ours not to reason why.."

I don't know, but I think it's reasonable to assume that their primary concern is productivity, and that at a company like Google, that concern will be analyzed in a data driven way. Perhaps they don't want to insult their developers by implying their productivity dipped, or something.

Google doesn't strike me as the kind of place that'd care about whether or not its developers feel insulted.

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#252

Post by gfxgirl »

ohthehugemanate wrote: post #199

Just in case you were operating under the illusion that tech giants are run by forward thinking executives who are immune to the usual politics and problems of corporate life. Nope, most of their exec layer is a bunch of people who cut their teeth the industry in the 90's, and are operating within a thick fog of local workplace politics. I guarantee that behind this move is an executive who believes that developers n…

Disagree completely. All metrics at my company, gamedev, show throughput is down ~66% since WFH

Me, I want to go back to the office. Like hanging out with my work friends.

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#253

Post by ornornor »

xgeua wrote: post #143

If the employees of these companies want a remote life after the experience of this past year, they'll leave the company. If the companies are experiencing enough loss they may reconsider their remote stance. I think it's unlikely though. More likely than not some employees will leave and the company will hire new employees that don't want to work remote.

I don’t believe that. Everyone else is cargo cutting FAANG. If they go back to no remote then everyone else will follow and if you want remote work it will be as hard as it’s historically been to get it, ie 1:10 ratio (making the particular ratio up) for available remote jobs to remote seekers.

It’s the same as “if you don’t like it here and don’t mind not having a roof over your head, you’re free to quit and go work somewhere else with better conditions”. It’s not as dramatic in SE because we’re in demand but it’s still not trivial to do everywhere. And it’s even worse for less in demand jobs.

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#254

Post by ornornor »

CodeGlitch wrote: post #205
person_of_color wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Today is a big disaster for those who foresaw changes in the workplace. Now we have only tier 2 companies (Dropbox/Spotify) who have gone full remote.

Indeed. Large companies like FAANG have invested heavily in their offices, I can kind of see why they don't want to throw that investment away. Hence why they want people back in those plush offices.

> throw that investment away

Sunk cost fallacies etc

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#255

Post by Dissley »

hyko wrote: post #140

When will introverts realise that their working conditions are being dictated to them by extroverts? The pandemic-driven remote working is hell for some people, and unfortunately they call the shots. I don’t mind coming into your office now and again (there’s a special dimension to IRL connections), but the reason I don’t want to work there full time is that it’s crap for knowledge work. I outspend you by 10x per hea…

“Well Google use primary colours in their logo, Brian”

LOL, thanks for the laugh! :-)

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#256

Post by alexgmcm »

nullsense wrote: post #230
chucky wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an Office Space reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p8Ni1sXBLk

I'm gonna need every Dev who hasn't seen that movie to go ahead and watch it this Saturday. Oh, and if I could go ahead and get them to re-watch it on Sunday too, that'd be great.

It's one of my favourite films.

The weird thing is I watched it before going to college and now I am working for several years it still feels super-relevant to the modern workplace.

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#257

Post by eertami »

darawk wrote: post #237
alexgmcm wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they do then why don't they share it? I mean they must realise this is a pretty unpopular decision so why not share their justification. Otherwise it's just an appeal to authority - "Ours not to reason why.."

I don't know, but I think it's reasonable to assume that their primary concern is productivity, and that at a company like Google, that concern will be analyzed in a data driven way. Perhaps they don't want to insult their developers by implying their productivity dipped, or something.

Google doesn't make decisions based on data. Google makes decisions based on what gets someone a promotion.

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#258

Post by wg0 »

gfxgirl wrote: post #252
ohthehugemanate wrote: post #199

Just in case you were operating under the illusion that tech giants are run by forward thinking executives who are immune to the usual politics and problems of corporate life. Nope, most of their exec layer is a bunch of people who cut their teeth the industry in the 90's, and are operating within a thick fog of local workplace politics. I guarantee that behind this move is an executive who believes that developers n…

Disagree completely. All metrics at my company, gamedev, show throughput is down ~66% since WFH Me, I want to go back to the office. Like hanging out with my work friends.

What is the measure of productivity? Lines of codes added/removed? Functions written? Jira tickets etc? How do we exactly know that if they are tickets, they are exactly the same size before and after the pandemic?

And is it the same for everyone? Like for HR, sales, marketing?

Re: Google is accelerating reopening of offices and putting limits on remote work

#260

Post by yellowapple »

petre wrote: post #148
ralph84 wrote: post #61

> If employees want to work from home beyond Sept. 1, they will need to formally apply for a max of 14 days annually Somehow this sounds to me like: "Oh, and remember: next Friday... is Hawaiian shirt day. So, you know, if you want to, go ahead and wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans."

That's even more tiring than going to work everyday. Now you have to shop for a shirt that you'll probably never wear again.

Joke's on y'all, I wear floral shirts every day.
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