Developer depression: Isolation is the biggest problem (2012) • Hacker News Board

Re: Developer depression: Isolation is the biggest problem (2012)

#51

Post by hcarvalhoalves » Sat, Feb 22, 2014, 5:40 PM UTC

mikeleeorg wrote: post #6

If you are an engineering manager, you can see huge gains in team satisfaction and productivity if you are cognizant of issues like this. My suggestion is to take the time to understand each member of your team, then create various interactions that can foster teamwork, satisfaction, etc. This can include: + Lunches or dinners - Going out to a restaurant together can give your team a reprieve from the stresses of wor…

To be brutally sincere, some people just want to get their job well done, be compensated accordingly and go home early to do something else - not be forced to take part in more company-planned activities. It has nothing to do with introversion. Ars longa, vita brevis.

On the current state of the industry, I would respect more a company that adequately deals with deadlines than one with a "friendly" environment like you outline. I'm sure I'm not alone at that.

Re: Developer depression: Isolation is the biggest problem (2012)

#52

Post by digita88 » Sat, Feb 22, 2014, 7:34 PM UTC

The key thing here is - if you are friends with and working with a developer that you know is depressed, what do you do? Do you give them space? Do you give them articles to help them?

Re: Developer depression: Isolation is the biggest problem (2012)

#53

Post by mikeleeorg » Sat, Feb 22, 2014, 10:18 PM UTC

watwut wrote: post #49

mikeleeorg wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's been a lot of literature on introversion and extroversion lately. They can explain it much better than I. Here is a good article: http://blog.bufferapp.com/introverts-and-extroverts-what-the... I don't mean to imply that introverts like movies and extraverts don't. Only that, as a manager of developers, you should seek to understand the type of people on your team along many different dimensions, introversion…

Isnt it the case that introverts are more comfortable in small groups of people they know well? As long as your team does not have 40+ members, most introverts should be perfectly happy in restaurant with their team. Some of introverts I know consider themselves extroverts, cause they get very talkative and funny in their group of their friends.

Yup, totally true. Introversion != shyness.

Re: Developer depression: Isolation is the biggest problem (2012)

#54

Post by 1F427 » Sat, Feb 22, 2014, 11:23 PM UTC

rmcfeeley wrote: post #13

I'm working on a project to boost awareness & strengthen resources around mental health in the startup community. Check out the basics at blueperiod.org Reach out to rob@blueperiod.org if you'd like to help out

I just want to encourage you to keep working on this project. I've been thinking for a few months about how best to increase mental health awareness with limited resources. I think it's a good idea to promote resources customized for niche communities that might not be targeted by existing mental health nonprofits. I don't really have any specific ideas at this time. But my next step is to get an understanding of everything that is currently available and figure out something from there (whether it be with something that already exists or start something new).