Here's the chart. https://www.frbsf.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/el2024-02-3...
Not sure if I agree with the headline as a proper summary.
Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
451–460 of 597 posts
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#452The fundamental issue I see in this debate is a lack of sensibility and nuance in human nature. The whole matter is debated (understandably in a way) on big numbers and averages. I could write a long post but I'll cut it short to this paragraph stating that humans differ. For some commuting is stressful, the offices are noisy and full of distractions and those individuals may thrive in a remote setup. There's people…
I would add one major change that the work from home experiment has achieved - its made the opportunity cost of the work commute clear. This is a time cost paid for by the worker. As you stated, this is variable. If you have a short commute, or you like it, or you get some exercise - office is great. If you hate your commute, if its 3 hours in pollution and traffic - not so much. Earlier the position was that WFH was…
I just commute during work hours. My boss is fine with this and I'm in the office around 6.5 hours per day.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#453Earlier quoted context omitted.
I argue against this point. I believe it indicates a skill gap, not a physical law. If you've played MMOs, been parts of raids, or been active in a guild - you figure out how to solve these problems. I've been in a community management and moderation role entirely online - those interactions and issues were, by far, the most subjective and complex project discussions I have had to conduct. I believe that there is an…
The MMO generation already entered the workforce a long time ago. Many of them are now middle-aged professionals. But because MMOs have always been a relatively niche hobby, with even the most popular games having only a few million daily players, their impact has not been that significant. They are a small minority in the overall workforce, and while they do have effective remote working habits, they have been self-…
I think that was the reminder that I am very much middle aged now.
You are right, however I would say that raids and coordinated e-sports were on the periphery when I was playing. I had to set up my own teams and lan tournaments.
Nice distinction to highlight though, thank you! The skill set would require specific coordination skills, not just being able to play team matches occasionally.
I suppose its proof that the skill exists, just not its distribution in the workforce.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#454The fundamental issue I see in this debate is a lack of sensibility and nuance in human nature. The whole matter is debated (understandably in a way) on big numbers and averages. I could write a long post but I'll cut it short to this paragraph stating that humans differ. For some commuting is stressful, the offices are noisy and full of distractions and those individuals may thrive in a remote setup. There's people…
"Some people require micro management and constant oversight" In my experience these people don't thrive in the office either. For software engineering in particular, these people are not useful employees.
But they exist, have jobs, and are producing things of value for other companies. You still have to deal with them.
It is not realistic to fire people who don't align with someone's preferred management style.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#455Earlier quoted context omitted.
I guess your boss doesn't really care if you managed to do laundry during work hours. You personally might care since you saved yourself some time, but that is a very personal thing. OTOH, if family is at home, it is also very easy for them to grab you for something seemingly important. With the "right" demanding wife, your boss always looses.
With the wrong demanding coworker or (especially) midwit middle manager who wants to talk about sportsball or politics, your entire company loses, not sure what your (rather sexist) point is tbh. Distractions happen. They come from lots of sources.
By focusing on the word "wife" and calling it sexism you miss the point of the comment entirely. I agree with your side of the conversation but nitpicking words and throwing in an attack doesn't help the conversation.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#456The fundamental issue I see in this debate is a lack of sensibility and nuance in human nature. The whole matter is debated (understandably in a way) on big numbers and averages. I could write a long post but I'll cut it short to this paragraph stating that humans differ. For some commuting is stressful, the offices are noisy and full of distractions and those individuals may thrive in a remote setup. There's people…
Right, I think the important nuance is that "it depends" and therefore, top-down C-level suite dictates on Remote/Hybrid/In-office requirements are generally more punitive than useful. If your team level management org cannot organically work out the right mix on a team/role basis, then you probably should look at what else they are doing poorly.
IMHO, each team does something poorly, and it doesn't mean you go on a fishing expedition to find everything else they're doing poorly. Rather, you focus on what they're doing great, and incentivize/reward them for that. As a manager this has what has worked for me over the years, but YMMV.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#457Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would add one major change that the work from home experiment has achieved - its made the opportunity cost of the work commute clear. This is a time cost paid for by the worker. As you stated, this is variable. If you have a short commute, or you like it, or you get some exercise - office is great. If you hate your commute, if its 3 hours in pollution and traffic - not so much. Earlier the position was that WFH was…
I just commute during work hours. My boss is fine with this and I'm in the office around 6.5 hours per day.
Which is perfect.
If that time is counted as part of work, thats a good deal. That is ideally what it should change to.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#458The fundamental issue I see in this debate is a lack of sensibility and nuance in human nature. The whole matter is debated (understandably in a way) on big numbers and averages. I could write a long post but I'll cut it short to this paragraph stating that humans differ. For some commuting is stressful, the offices are noisy and full of distractions and those individuals may thrive in a remote setup. There's people…
> the decision C-suite have to make when planning projects > in the setup that's decided I'd argue this shouldn't be a top-down decision - you can just let teams and individuals decide what works best for them, then that can be communicated upwards so the company can plan office space/resource allocation
>you can just let teams and individuals decide what works best for them, then that can be communicated upwards so the company can plan office space/resource allocation
Finding this many self-motivated conscientious employees is uncommon. Consider yourself lucky. This has never been a winning strategy that I've seen anywhere.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#459Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure, but then we're discussing remote work as an employee benefit, which is a different discussion driven by a different part of the company etc. Not as a thing which improves the company's bottom line which is where C suite and shareholders spend the vast majority of their attention. If it doesn't improve job productivity then at the level where decisions get made I can think of two really significant points regard…
>If it doesn't improve job productivity then at the level where decisions get made I can think of two really significant points regarding remote work. It would be nice if the rich assholes making these decisions realized that allowing people to take care of life stuff during work hours actually does make them more productive. But it's tough to measure, and impossible to convey to someone who can just afford to pay a…
> But it's tough to measure, and impossible to convey to someone who can just afford to pay a person to do their dishes.
My least-favorite genre of C-suite-sort LinkedIn post is the kind that explains how they manage to be CEO of startup X, on the board of another company and a charity, an advisor on some other startup, plus maybe a few other things, and still find time for their kids and for travel and such despite all those "challenges".
Gee. What could be the explanation? It must be that you're just that good.
It can't be that all of those are effectively very-part-time jobs (let me see... hm, Startup X has 40 employees and two of them are your executive assistants...) with very flexible schedules, and that you pay more than some people make all year to make twenty hours a week of chores & maintenance & childcare work just vanish.
No, it must be that you're amazing. You should probably give your advice to some working-class single parents, bet they could use your expertise.
Re: Remote work doesn't seem to affect productivity, Fed study finds
#460Earlier quoted context omitted.
You need to get out of your bubble. After having traveled to more than 60 countries on all the continents (except Antarctica), I can assure you that a majority of humans do not have good reliable public transport. It is a luxury that only some parts of the world have. Just as an example, right now I am in an Indian city where there is some minimal public transport but a majority of people need their own vehicle to co…
Why would you think comparing the developing world with the USA makes in any way sense - do you actually think the US is at the developmental level of India? When comparing similarly wealthy countries the US is absolutely an outlier in this.
> Why would you think comparing the developing world with the USA makes in any way sense
Because you said - "Thankfully the US is a major outlier in this aspect globally." "Globally" implies the entire world. Now why are you moving the goalposts? If you wanted to confine the discussion to the developed world, just call out US being an outlier in the developed world.