Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure • Hacker News Board

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#41

Post by Traster » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:39 PM UTC

chungy wrote: post #14

cushychicken wrote: post #8

What if, at the tail end of all this, a bunch of people find that they've tried remote work and decided: "Hey - this fucking rules! " In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. Maybe - just maybe - this could be the unplug that helps people prioritize the things that they enjoy over their work. I recognize that's a viewpoint…

> In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. The first two depend _very_ heavily on both your home and office environments. It is certainly not true for myself.

Absolutely, I'm getting very tired of the constant hacker news posts telling me that working from home is the future, that I'm getting twice as much done in half the time. I'll tell you what I have, I have chronic back pain from my uncomfortable dining room chairs and chronic anger at the fact I can't get timely answers to my quesitons.

Some people like working from home, fine, but for many of us it's just not right.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#42

Post by nostromo » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:40 PM UTC

vvanders wrote: post #2

Usually they don't say the quiet part out loud, and yet here we are. We're incredibly fortunate in tech that we can do a large portion of work remotely, many people aren't so lucky. One would think that we'd value life above profit but lately that doesn't appear to be the case.

You’re lucky today. Tomorrow isn’t so clear.

Ad spends are dropping and dropping fast. Amazon is a retailer. Apple sells luxury goods. Cloud and Microsoft are dependent on big spends from enterprise.

All of this is at risk. Tech isn’t independent of the Main Street economy.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#43

Post by rahidz » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:40 PM UTC

>“The more people are infected, the more likely it is that Blankfein and other billionaires will become infected as well.”

May be true, but at the same time

>Billionaires and other members of the elite have the luxury of social distancing while making money.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#44

Post by ghaff » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:40 PM UTC

timeimp wrote: post #20

cushychicken wrote: post #8

What if, at the tail end of all this, a bunch of people find that they've tried remote work and decided: "Hey - this fucking rules! " In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. Maybe - just maybe - this could be the unplug that helps people prioritize the things that they enjoy over their work. I recognize that's a viewpoint…

Interestingly enough, there is also now, with the explosion of co-working spaces, services for that part of the market that wants to work "in town" but without a commute to the "big smoke" (so to speak) I wonder how WeWork will fare when an entire 2 generations of people realise they can work close to home and be more productive...

That's assuming people live "in town." Many don't and work out of a suburban/ex-urban/rural apartment/house where they admittedly tend to have more room.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#45

Post by megous » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:41 PM UTC

alain_gilbert wrote: post #30

cushychicken wrote: post #8

What if, at the tail end of all this, a bunch of people find that they've tried remote work and decided: "Hey - this fucking rules! " In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. Maybe - just maybe - this could be the unplug that helps people prioritize the things that they enjoy over their work. I recognize that's a viewpoint…

This is doomed by the fact that children also stay at home :P

Not during normal times. ;)

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#46

Post by munk-a » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:41 PM UTC

cushychicken wrote: post #8

What if, at the tail end of all this, a bunch of people find that they've tried remote work and decided: "Hey - this fucking rules! " In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. Maybe - just maybe - this could be the unplug that helps people prioritize the things that they enjoy over their work. I recognize that's a viewpoint…

Alternatively - what if we come out of this with a positive view of Medicare for All and labour unions to empower workers to reclaim their lives.

I hope this time at home "spoils" workers as to what they're missing out on in life due to working themselves to the bone so that they can reject calls to return to our prior broken society.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#47

Post by ck2 » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:41 PM UTC

cushychicken wrote: post #8

What if, at the tail end of all this, a bunch of people find that they've tried remote work and decided: "Hey - this fucking rules! " In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. Maybe - just maybe - this could be the unplug that helps people prioritize the things that they enjoy over their work. I recognize that's a viewpoint…

Once jobs can be sourced to anyone who can work from anywhere and businesses get it down to a "science", guess what: your job can now be replaced by anyone working from anywhere. In any country, with much lower wages.

No-one's skillset is that unique.

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#48

Post by gonehome » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:42 PM UTC

Traster wrote: post #41

chungy wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In part because they've realized that they can complete their core work duties in less time, with less distractions, and zero commuting. The first two depend _very_ heavily on both your home and office environments. It is certainly not true for myself.

Absolutely, I'm getting very tired of the constant hacker news posts telling me that working from home is the future, that I'm getting twice as much done in half the time. I'll tell you what I have, I have chronic back pain from my uncomfortable dining room chairs and chronic anger at the fact I can't get timely answers to my quesitons. Some people like working from home, fine, but for many of us it's just not right.

Maybe just buy a decent chair?

I picked up a liquidation sale Aeron on Craigslist - totally worth it.

Also I’ve found it easier and faster to zoom since everyone is remote (don’t have to try and find an open meeting room).

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#49

Post by holler » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:42 PM UTC

Ididntdothis wrote: post #29

holler wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny, I've been working remotely for the past 4 years and now more than ever, I miss going to an office and being around more people. Working remote has some amazing benefits, and I've certainly taken advantage of them, but eventually I've realized that decreased social interaction is something to consider. That said, I'll probably keep working remote.

I dream of a small office with a few people near to my home within cycling distance. If I have to choose between a big office and home I will choose home.

Yeah I think I'm in agreement with you... That's why I'm working on my own project, hoping to get it off the ground so I can set my own rules and do something like you describe :)

Re: Billionaires Want People Back to Work. Employees Aren’t So Sure

#50

Post by lotsofpulp » Wed, Mar 25, 2020, 11:42 PM UTC

Ididntdothis wrote: post #29

holler wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny, I've been working remotely for the past 4 years and now more than ever, I miss going to an office and being around more people. Working remote has some amazing benefits, and I've certainly taken advantage of them, but eventually I've realized that decreased social interaction is something to consider. That said, I'll probably keep working remote.

I dream of a small office with a few people near to my home within cycling distance. If I have to choose between a big office and home I will choose home.

Same, would love to live in a community with businesses interspersed with homes and be able to bicycle/walk everywhere and let kids roam around without risk of being hit by a car.