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Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

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Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#41

Post by bluefirebrand »

justaguy88 wrote: post #27
yaacov wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you learn more and take on more responsibility and have more impact it helps the company, not just you. So they’re incentivized to keep you on a growth trajectory, regardless of your preferences.

I think it was more of an indictment on the actual effectiveness of management's attempts at providing career growth in the general sense. Can always job hop for promotions, no need for your manager to be involved

It's more than that, job hopping seems like the only way to actually get promotions.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#42

Post by [deleted] »

ajkjk wrote: post #15
tartoran wrote: post #7

I got the taste of remote work and nothing’s gonna convince me it’s better in the office. Im more productive remotely, I save money on transportation and food, I save time, I am close to my toddler son, I could save the company a lot by not wasting the office space on me and most of all Im an introvert and for a long time I haven’t felt so comfortable. Why change that? I will seek a remote position other place if my…

Completely depends on the person though. I wouldn't be surprised if companies end up with some remote orgs and other office orgs someday. Everyone wants their ideal working environment and, imo, ought to be able to get it simultaneously... By matching people into the right jobs.

[deleted]

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#43

Post by dnndev »

A larger role will be the team you work on. If the team wants to WFH then your set, if that’s what you want. If your team goes into the office they will expect you to do the same. Companies that have a heavy management layer will be more likely to say to get real work done you need to be in the office - just a hunch.

Personally, my team would be half day a week encouraged (the same day for everyone), all else optional.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#44

Post by kjjjjjjjjjjjjjj »

golover721 wrote: post #33
tartoran wrote: post #7

I got the taste of remote work and nothing’s gonna convince me it’s better in the office. Im more productive remotely, I save money on transportation and food, I save time, I am close to my toddler son, I could save the company a lot by not wasting the office space on me and most of all Im an introvert and for a long time I haven’t felt so comfortable. Why change that? I will seek a remote position other place if my…

One thing I find interesting is that individual contributors always seem to feel they are more productive when WFH. But at least anecdotally the upper management I have talked to in tech companies are saying that WFH has dropped productivity significantly. Now maybe this is just WFH w/ all the stresses of a pandemic vs. WFH in normal times, but it is interesting.

> But at least anecdotally the upper management I have talked to in tech companies are saying that WFH has dropped productivity significantly.

Well you need to actually do work to be productive remotely. Upper management doesn't really do anything.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#45

Post by sanderjd »

golover721 wrote: post #33
tartoran wrote: post #7

I got the taste of remote work and nothing’s gonna convince me it’s better in the office. Im more productive remotely, I save money on transportation and food, I save time, I am close to my toddler son, I could save the company a lot by not wasting the office space on me and most of all Im an introvert and for a long time I haven’t felt so comfortable. Why change that? I will seek a remote position other place if my…

One thing I find interesting is that individual contributors always seem to feel they are more productive when WFH. But at least anecdotally the upper management I have talked to in tech companies are saying that WFH has dropped productivity significantly. Now maybe this is just WFH w/ all the stresses of a pandemic vs. WFH in normal times, but it is interesting.

As a tech lead, I totally understand that. I'm way more productive at IC work from home, but I really want to be able to meet with my team in person, at least sometimes.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#46

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

golover721 wrote: post #33
tartoran wrote: post #7

I got the taste of remote work and nothing’s gonna convince me it’s better in the office. Im more productive remotely, I save money on transportation and food, I save time, I am close to my toddler son, I could save the company a lot by not wasting the office space on me and most of all Im an introvert and for a long time I haven’t felt so comfortable. Why change that? I will seek a remote position other place if my…

One thing I find interesting is that individual contributors always seem to feel they are more productive when WFH. But at least anecdotally the upper management I have talked to in tech companies are saying that WFH has dropped productivity significantly. Now maybe this is just WFH w/ all the stresses of a pandemic vs. WFH in normal times, but it is interesting.

It's a culture and communication issue. Many middle managers are used to back to back meetings and full calendars and hallway conversations and constant face-to-face. Of course it'll be an adjustment. There's no innate limitation of WFH in this scenario, but folks need to adapt to the technology.

Some of the best managers I've ever interacted with managed remote ICs or were remote themselves. Their communication skills were excellent. The average manager I've worked with has poor communication skills (sure, lots of meetings though) and won't adapt well.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#47

Post by kortilla »

outside1234 wrote: post #2

This is management's opening negotiating position. In the fight for talent, however, it is not clear that they have the upper hand, because, I, for one, will be more that willing to offer your employee the ability to work from home. I will ask that the team work out an appropriate culture, which probably includes coming to the office at least once a week -- but certainly not on the other hand four days a week. And I…

> I will ask that the team work out an appropriate culture, which probably includes coming to the office at least once a week

What a stupid way to ruin most of the remote upside - not having to live in a particular shitty metro.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#49

Post by sanderjd »

outside1234 wrote: post #9
k__ wrote: post #5

Any sufficiently big company is working remote already, because not all employees fit in one room or even one building. Working from home is just a small step after that.

I think there is an advantage to having folks in the office one day a week. The pandemic has shown us that we definitely can work from home - but on the other hand it also sucks to only see your teammates exclusively on zoom. I think there is room to find a more rational engineering culture that balances the time and carbon from your commute with the fact that we are all human and need some face to face.

Yes, I really want to do my team meetings and one-on-ones in person, but am perfectly happy to do everything else remotely.

Re: Remote working: Is Big Tech going off work from home?

#50

Post by darkwizard42 »

outside1234 wrote: post #9
k__ wrote: post #5

Any sufficiently big company is working remote already, because not all employees fit in one room or even one building. Working from home is just a small step after that.

I think there is an advantage to having folks in the office one day a week. The pandemic has shown us that we definitely can work from home - but on the other hand it also sucks to only see your teammates exclusively on zoom. I think there is room to find a more rational engineering culture that balances the time and carbon from your commute with the fact that we are all human and need some face to face.

Agreed on both points.

I mean my biggest pet peeve is just drawing a simple diagram. No drawing tools seem to be as good as a good old fashioned white board.

This is especially true when trying to make a system diagram on the fly or come back to a previous discussion...

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