This "manifesto" really clarified for me something that I've often noticed about people who strongly believe in remote working but had trouble putting to words. For a lot of people remote work is less about the actual remote aspect of it and more about the kind of relationship the employee has with their employer. It is a relationship where I think the employee is more empowered and freer to find a work life balance that satisfies them.
Remote Only
51–60 of 374 posts
Re: Remote Only
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
Check out German software-related companies. Small ones are usually flexible to be persuaded to hire you, if you can get through to them, that is. A good application should work, and as usual, don't give up too soon. They don't even know they can handle it. Maybe do some research as to how they'd have to do payroll, to reduce the scariness of someone overseas.
Where can I specifically find German tech companies?
Germany and German websites might be a good start
Re: Remote Only
#53> People don't have to say when they are working. This is a bad idea. People should not have to work all on the same schedule, but having some shared understanding of when people work or take time off is certainly a good thing.
I think it shouldn't be necessary, but people should do it as a courtesy. It's like a PTO calendar. It's just nice to know when people will be around, especially if your environment requires some collaboration.
A calendar or wth peoples preferred schedule under a specific time zone is would do wonders. If they ever need to deviate they can change it ahead of time and / or let everyone know through Slack. We do this at my job where we are in an office but we do have two or more remote only employees. Its easier for me to look in there and figure out why xyz is not in the office or Slack for the last 4 hours.
Re: Remote Only
#54Not sure if it's just my perception, but it seems the pendulum has swung back around and remote work is looked at unfavorably. I've worked remotely the last 3+ years and I'm currently looking for a new gig. Seems like there aren't a lot of companies who are ok with full-time remote. For the few that are, there is really stiff competition for those few jobs.
It ebbs and flows. I recently interviewed for a remote position (found on HN 1st of the month job posting) and they couldn't stop gushing about how many candidates they had. At another company, they realized they weren't getting quality candidates and recently became open to the idea.
All in all it does take longer, but with prior remote experience it makes it easier.
Re: Remote Only
#55> Disadvantages > Scares investors - Scares some partners - Scares some customers - Scares some potential employees, mostly senior non-technical hires - Onboarding is harder, first month feels lonely We do a full remote policy at SerpApi.com, however I found this disadvantages list a bit dishonest, they are more way numerous and important, the most obvious are missing real human contacts (and it doesn't get easier wi…
This assumes that the only place a remote worker can work from is their home. There is nothing more detrimental to a person's psyche. Cafes and coworking spaces are the most obvious and effective solution to this problem. I made countless friends while working remotely and a good 90% of them I met in a coworking space (and the so called "digital nomad" community is made of some really awesome people). Plus you have t…
> This assumes that the only place a remote worker can work from is their home. There is nothing more detrimental to a person's psyche.
That is rather hyperbolic. Many remote workers do fine working from home. Others do not. Not all people are the same. Any of us can think of things that are "more detrimental to a person's psyche" for nearly all individuals.
Re: Remote Only
#56some thoughts about remote work at Stack Overflow [0]
[0]: https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/29/making-remote-work-beh...
Re: Remote Only
#57> Disadvantages > Scares investors - Scares some partners - Scares some customers - Scares some potential employees, mostly senior non-technical hires - Onboarding is harder, first month feels lonely We do a full remote policy at SerpApi.com, however I found this disadvantages list a bit dishonest, they are more way numerous and important, the most obvious are missing real human contacts (and it doesn't get easier wi…
This assumes that the only place a remote worker can work from is their home. There is nothing more detrimental to a person's psyche. Cafes and coworking spaces are the most obvious and effective solution to this problem. I made countless friends while working remotely and a good 90% of them I met in a coworking space (and the so called "digital nomad" community is made of some really awesome people). Plus you have t…
I work alone from home and love it. I can have quiet/nap time when I need it, make my own food, and spend time with my dog.
I'm very social and love spending time with people, but work isn't my outlet for that. I find that friends in an office end up decreasing my productivity and causing me to have less free time for friends, family, and relaxation.
Re: Remote Only
#58When joining any company, I recommend understanding the values, culture, and work environment. It is not one size fits all. You should ensure that you would enjoy working with the people, values, and environment you are joining. Remote work may not be for everyone, and doesn't need to be, however it can be wonderful! It has been life-changing for me and my family. My son's math scores have gone up 30% since joining GitLab, because I now have time in the afternoon to dedicate to helping with his homework, before he's exhausted after his latest sports game/practice. That is just one example of how it has impacted my life, but there are many more. I'm home for dinner. I have more time for my friends, but I also have more time for work (I had a 3 hour commute before GitLab). My health has improved. I am happier. At GitLab, we take steps to make remote work successful. In addition to our daily "social" call together, we also enable our team members to rent space at a co-working facility (we work, for example), or work from anywhere with an internet connection if that is preferable for them. It is not unusual for my teammates to see me taking Video conferencing calls from the beach. It has been proven that humans do their best thinking surrounded by nature, and I try to take advantage of that. I love the freedom that remote work gives me and my fellow team members. But I agree that we must always be thinking about how to maximize the benefits of this arrangement and decrease the downsides. If you are willing to put in the effort, which includes changing the way you work and communicate, as asynchronous communication is required to make remote work successful, it can be very rewarding. I don't feel that I have less human contact, I feel that I have more but different contact. I definitely get more direct time with my friends and family, but I also get to know more people at work. In an office building, I tended to only spend time with those who sat near me or interacted regularly with me. Occasionally it ventured out passed that if I joined the SCUBA group, or something similar. At GitLab, our team calls, our meetings, and our summits allow me to get to know people from around the world that I would have never had the opportunity to learn from before. We have different experiences and perspectives and it is fascinating! If you know that remote work isn't for you, that you love decisions being made in hallways vs. organized communication, for example, then it is great that you know that. The wonderful thing is that there are many companies conducting their business in different ways, that we should all be able to find the one that matches our needs and values. I'm thrilled to have found a company that matches my needs, to balance wellness, work, family, and friends, while making an impact in our industry. If you are at a remote company and feel that things could be done better, I hope that they are willing to hear your recommendations. I wouldn't give up on the model without trying to make it work. If you work at GitLab and have recommendations, I'm happy to hear them!
Re: Remote Only
#59From a legal/hr/pay role perspective, how do you hire full time around the world?
It is pretty complex, but we have some information in our handbook. https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/
Re: Remote Only
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you expand on the disadvantages then? If you were to write that list, what would it look like?
I'm not the parent poster, but I think the document glossed over the biggest perceived disadvantage: Despite technological advances, I still believe that face-to-face communication is the most efficient way to transfer information and come to conclusions on difficult decisions. It's also the least susceptible to misinterpretation.
> I still believe that face-to-face communication is the most efficient way to transfer information ...
Why do people think this. For one thing, and I think it is most important, face to face communication does not give either parties time to think. It ends up with awkward, unproductive pauses.
Face to face communication is great for small talk, chit chat and rumors. Not for communication backed by actual thought...