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Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

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Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#51

Post by chaostheory »

bbor wrote: post #36
alex_lav wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> on top of the worst way of working which is in-office. It's funny how both sides of this debate present their opinions as fact

It _is_ objectively true that WFH is better for the environment. But oh well, so far wildfires are contained to just wildfire season, so not a big deal :))))))

Yeah, people forget about the energy and pollution costs of forcing everyone to commute. Even if you drive an EV, there’s still pollution from tires.

Given that we’ve proven that remote work is viable even without next gen AR VR devices, a lot of corporate PR supporting the environment feels very empty when we learn their stance on remote work

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#52

Post by A4ET8a8uTh0 »

worrycue wrote: post #30
A4ET8a8uTh0 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About 6 months ago my manager, who happens to prefer RTO told me how if I only visit office sometime, I should not expect to have a desk. I was amused, but I did not ask if that means I can just stay home then. Clearly management class figured out a fun little plan. Announce RTO so that people can 'self-select' thus reducing headcount ( lower cost ), introduce hybrid ( so that you can claim you are flexible in postin…

> people can 'self-select' thus reducing headcount Self-select usually mean the brightest and most capable select another job though.

That is the weirdest part of this whole shift for me. Remote positions now get tons of applications and can afford to select best possible candidates, while 'old guard' is left with 'not best' candidates. Granted, some positions do not need a rocket scientist, but one would think a company would want someone, who is capable enough to have options.

And yet, HRs across the US spectrum seem to be sending the same memo. I am mildly annoyed by this, because I had a mini-conversation today and the tone from an executive was: business won't let this ( WFH ) stand.

Maybe it is not about best possible candidate. Maybe they are ok with less capable people for whatever reason.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#53

Post by ornornor »

dilyevsky wrote: post #23
thesuitonym wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>What happened to being a forward thinking and innovative company? Google went public is what happened. You literally cannot make good decisions when you have to base everything around what will make the most profit for the shareholders this quarter.

Things weren’t like this for a long time after it was already public. I used to work there more than 5 years after ipo and their office environment (especially in zurich) was really good

They just did mass layoffs in Zürich too from what I hear. Many will be out of a job at the end of this month at that office.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#54

Post by ravst3s »

thesuitonym wrote: post #14
oofta-boofta wrote: post #13

Google looked at how sailors share space on a sub and were like "yeah, that's the ticket". Hot-desking is the worst way to be in-office, on top of the worst way of working which is in-office. What happened to being a forward thinking and innovative company? These "geniuses" can't use their superior big brains just barely hiding under those infantilizing propeller hats to figure out a way to make remote work effective…

>What happened to being a forward thinking and innovative company? Google went public is what happened. You literally cannot make good decisions when you have to base everything around what will make the most profit for the shareholders this quarter.

>You literally cannot make good decisions when you have to base everything around what will make the most profit for the shareholders this quarter

Ironically, Google doesn't care about their shareholders and quarters like other tech companies. They don't provide a guidance, their earnings calls have little substance, and their disclosure is atrocious.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#55

Post by nostrebored »

oofta-boofta wrote: post #46
nostrebored wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered that maybe your priors are just wrong? I don't know a single person who prefers in-office work who thinks that remote is more effective, but I know many who have the opposite opinion but prefer the flexibility. Maybe there isn't a realistic way to make remote as productive. I'm honest enough to say that the social pressure that people bemoan makes me significantly more productive. I wish it didn't…

[flagged]

[flagged]

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#56

Post by txdv »

oofta-boofta wrote: post #13

Google looked at how sailors share space on a sub and were like "yeah, that's the ticket". Hot-desking is the worst way to be in-office, on top of the worst way of working which is in-office. What happened to being a forward thinking and innovative company? These "geniuses" can't use their superior big brains just barely hiding under those infantilizing propeller hats to figure out a way to make remote work effective…

You might want to hold on for a few more Qs because short term solutions like this do increase stocks.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#57

Post by gumby »

lern_too_spel wrote: post #39
chubot wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From 2012, to 2016, to 2020, google bled an incredible amount of key talent I think that was kinda known in the valley, but not sure any media really covered it Honestly a lot of the blame goes to Larry Page for turning the company toward G+, pushing top people toward Gundotra, the product failing quite badly, and Larry stepping back as CEO My view of Eric Schmidt is pretty neutral, but it was a little weird how Larr…

Google management has always been incompetent. It's just that now that economic conditions have forced them to make more drastic decisions that their incompetence is even more obvious.

Actually I think Schmidt was quite good. Sadly he's the only CEO the company has ever had.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#58

Post by HWR_14 »

chubot wrote: post #25
oofta-boofta wrote: post #13

Google looked at how sailors share space on a sub and were like "yeah, that's the ticket". Hot-desking is the worst way to be in-office, on top of the worst way of working which is in-office. What happened to being a forward thinking and innovative company? These "geniuses" can't use their superior big brains just barely hiding under those infantilizing propeller hats to figure out a way to make remote work effective…

From 2012, to 2016, to 2020, google bled an incredible amount of key talent I think that was kinda known in the valley, but not sure any media really covered it Honestly a lot of the blame goes to Larry Page for turning the company toward G+, pushing top people toward Gundotra, the product failing quite badly, and Larry stepping back as CEO My view of Eric Schmidt is pretty neutral, but it was a little weird how Larr…

G+ wasn't a bad product, but it's hard for me to conceive of a worse rollout plan.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#59

Post by nostrebored »

esafak wrote: post #45
nostrebored wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered that maybe your priors are just wrong? I don't know a single person who prefers in-office work who thinks that remote is more effective, but I know many who have the opposite opinion but prefer the flexibility. Maybe there isn't a realistic way to make remote as productive. I'm honest enough to say that the social pressure that people bemoan makes me significantly more productive. I wish it didn't…

> The inability to tap on someone's shoulder reduces group productivity, regardless of what those who don't want to be interrupted think. If you know a person does not like being interrupted don't be selfish and write a message. Why does your productivity matter more than mine?

Because 10 minutes of your time might save hours of someone else’s. Why is your productivity more important than your entire teams?

I feel like people don’t treat achieving business goals as part of their job in dev. I’ve never had people treat this as a problem across other job roles.

Re: Google cuts office space in Bay Area by more than a million square feet

#60

Post by code_biologist »

lern_too_spel wrote: post #39
chubot wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From 2012, to 2016, to 2020, google bled an incredible amount of key talent I think that was kinda known in the valley, but not sure any media really covered it Honestly a lot of the blame goes to Larry Page for turning the company toward G+, pushing top people toward Gundotra, the product failing quite badly, and Larry stepping back as CEO My view of Eric Schmidt is pretty neutral, but it was a little weird how Larr…

Google management has always been incompetent. It's just that now that economic conditions have forced them to make more drastic decisions that their incompetence is even more obvious.

Eric Schmidt seemed very competent, given how much of the famed old Google culture was built during his tenure. I was at Google during the Larry Page era and contrasting him with Schmidt was not favorable.
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