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Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

nytimes.com

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Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#31

Post by turtlebits »

bluefishinit wrote: post #15

> “You can interrupt each other without being rude when you’re in person,” said Mr. Medina, whose company, Outreach, is now in the office on a hybrid basis. “In a Zoom conversation, you have to let somebody finish their thought.” How is this not admitting that WFH is superior? If it puts a damper on people like this who feel it's their right to interrupt your thoughts, it's only a good thing. This article title may s…

To me that means you can easily flag someone down without having to interrupt them by speaking mid call.

In person also allows for async conversations during demos/presentations and is much easier to read the room for the speaker.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#32

Post by nness »

bluefishinit wrote: post #15

> “You can interrupt each other without being rude when you’re in person,” said Mr. Medina, whose company, Outreach, is now in the office on a hybrid basis. “In a Zoom conversation, you have to let somebody finish their thought.” How is this not admitting that WFH is superior? If it puts a damper on people like this who feel it's their right to interrupt your thoughts, it's only a good thing. This article title may s…

I can't recall a WFH article that didn't just boil down to a CEO or adjacent just "vibing" things weren't working.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#33

Post by sologoub »

hef19898 wrote: post #25
pavel_lishin wrote: post #10

Another anecdote to throw in the bucket: they announced that we'll be returning to the office on July 10th, and also that we'll be pausing catered lunches on July 7th. (I know that it's the peak of privilege to complain about not getting free food delivered to work, but this feels like all-stick, and literally no carrots.)

Meanwhile, those unflexible, union-backed jobs in Germany now come more often than not with 40% remote work included, and guaranteed by signed, collectively bargained agreements.

That sounds super interesting! Any source you can share to learn more about how that works in Germany?

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#34

Post by pavel_lishin »

czbond wrote: post #19
pavel_lishin wrote: post #10

Another anecdote to throw in the bucket: they announced that we'll be returning to the office on July 10th, and also that we'll be pausing catered lunches on July 7th. (I know that it's the peak of privilege to complain about not getting free food delivered to work, but this feels like all-stick, and literally no carrots.)

One could consider a paycheck a carrot....

I mean, I could - and once again, I am reminded of the fact that I get to sit in front of a laptop instead of doing hard physical labor that I can literally see construction workers doing down the street.

But I can get a paycheck elsewhere, without the company suddenly doing a 180 on me with regard to my other benefits!

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#35

Post by ncallaway »

czbond wrote: post #19
pavel_lishin wrote: post #10

Another anecdote to throw in the bucket: they announced that we'll be returning to the office on July 10th, and also that we'll be pausing catered lunches on July 7th. (I know that it's the peak of privilege to complain about not getting free food delivered to work, but this feels like all-stick, and literally no carrots.)

One could consider a paycheck a carrot....

Sure, it’s a carrot for me doing work.

And if my boss had that attitude, I’d be out the door very quickly. I’ll let others enjoy that carrot.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#36

Post by nness »

nologic01 wrote: post #29

The pre-pandemic work arrangements were in what is called a meta-stable state. "If the ball is only slightly pushed, it will settle back into its hollow, but a stronger push may start the ball rolling down the slope" [1] They only looked normal because there just aren't many mechanisms for society to explore (at scale) nearby states that might be more adapted but require a lot of energy to reach. We have now tunneled…

Metastability is a nice abstraction for exactly this topic.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#37

Post by mattkevan »

I left my previous employer when it was clear they were forcing everyone back to the office.

The CEO recently claimed on Twitter and LinkedIn, essentially that people working from home were lazy grifters who did nothing all day.

He’s the sort of manager who believes on the one hand that no-one does any work unless he personally is there to crack the whip, and on the other that it’s fine to pay less than market rate salaries because the company culture is so fantastic.

Also conveniently forgetting that the best years the company ever had financially was when everyone was remote.

Now work for a much smaller fully remote company who love the fact they’re no longer geographically limited for good employees.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#38

Post by bannedbybros »

sharemywin wrote: post #4

I just don't know how you get the Genie back in the bottle. Will employees come back in eventually probably if forced to enough. will smaller companies see how much of a benefit WFH is and use it as a hiring advantage I would imagine. I wonder if people forced to come back into the office are working a ton of free hours for the company. I can't really stay late because I have that commute now. And every time someone…

[dead]

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#39

Post by nine_zeros »

thebigwinning wrote: post #30
nine_zeros wrote: post #14

If there is one thing everyone should know, it is that board members, CxOs and VCs are all just regular humans. They think exactly like you. Which means, they are as dumb as you. "They would much rather focus on their own returns than on the continued well-being of the company." Apply this line to your job, your career, your family. This is life in modern America.

Yes. Well all those positions are just employees as well, not owners.

> Yes. Well all those positions are just employees as well, not owners.

Yes, but those positions rely on ICs taking "ownership" of the work, often at the expense of IC's own health, relationships and families.

Treat the company the way they treat you (and your peers). Nothing more, nothing less.

Re: Return to Office Enters the Desperation Phase

#40

Post by mustacheemperor »

bluefishinit wrote: post #15

> “You can interrupt each other without being rude when you’re in person,” said Mr. Medina, whose company, Outreach, is now in the office on a hybrid basis. “In a Zoom conversation, you have to let somebody finish their thought.” How is this not admitting that WFH is superior? If it puts a damper on people like this who feel it's their right to interrupt your thoughts, it's only a good thing. This article title may s…

Management is just saying the quiet part out loud at this point, "we need return to office so we can more freely speak over our subordinates."
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