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Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

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Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#61

Post by josephorjoe »

bicx wrote: post #39
DoofusOfDeath wrote: post #34

I've worked from home for about 6 years, with varying levels of success. But I've been surprised by how much I'm thrown off by having my kids home during the school day (remote learning because of covid). Even with a decently soundproof office. It just prevents the house in general from being calm and quiet during my peak work hours.

I am honestly concerned that I may be getting chronic ear issues from wearing noise-cancelling headphones constantly. Knowing that your family is right outside the door (and vice versa) is extremely challenging.

I dream of having a door between me and my family while I'm trying to work...

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#62

Post by throwdbaaway »

pbalau wrote: post #5
phendrenad2 wrote: post #3

There's going to be a BIG push to go back to offices soon. I expect some companies will start experimenting with micro-offices (4-5 employees in a medium wework room).

> I expect some companies will start experimenting with micro-offices (4-5 employees in a medium wework room). And what is this going to achieve? This is a stupid idea.

Agree, 4-5 employees sharing a room is indeed a stupid idea during the pandemic, not to mention the loss of effectiveness when the company doesn't commit to remote-only.

The idea that may make sense is to provide some sort of WFH allowance, so that people can either enhance their own workplace, or seek individual offices in some co-working space. But I guess all the co-working space providers have committed to open floor plan.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#63

Post by flatline »

jonny_eh wrote: post #60
bicx wrote: post #14

I think the key with working from home is learning to set up and maintain boundaries between home life and work life. I was working from home fulltime for well over a year prior to the pandemic. Prior to that, I went into an open office every day for about 10 years. Overall, if you subtract the time from a 1-hour round-trip commute, distractions from coworkers, and longer lunch breaks I had while going into the offic…

> I was doing better, but I need to tighten things up a bit Why is your work more important than your wife? I see it as a feature that when WFH you can help your wife with the odd task in the middle of the day, which you couldn't do at the office.

Healthy boundaries are important in any sort of relationship - romantic, friendship, professional. Sometimes it’s nice to prioritize a family member’s needs over work, other times it’s inappropriate. Just the very act of having to make that decision n times a day can be exhausting.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#64

Post by mav3rick »

andrew_ wrote: post #30
tidepod12 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>at that skill level What skill level is that? For the most part we are talking about a bunch of people ages 22-30 that function by responding to specific feature requests or JIRA tickets from their team leads. There are of course exceptions, but by and large this population of engineers do not do well with unstructured environments, such as the type created by a sudden shift to WFH. I am wholly unsurprised that prod…

I know quite a few brilliant folks there, and I just can't buy the assertion that the majority are drones/codemonkeys that drown without instruction and structure.

The HN dogma "I couldn't get in so Google must be shit"

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#65

Post by bicx »

jonny_eh wrote: post #60
bicx wrote: post #14

I think the key with working from home is learning to set up and maintain boundaries between home life and work life. I was working from home fulltime for well over a year prior to the pandemic. Prior to that, I went into an open office every day for about 10 years. Overall, if you subtract the time from a 1-hour round-trip commute, distractions from coworkers, and longer lunch breaks I had while going into the offic…

> I was doing better, but I need to tighten things up a bit Why is your work more important than your wife? I see it as a feature that when WFH you can help your wife with the odd task in the middle of the day, which you couldn't do at the office.

Ideally yes, this is true. Which is why I actively make that decision at times. However, if I don't make time later to pick up the slack, I don't feel like that's fair to my employer. If it's a quick task, it's not a problem. It's all about having a fair and healthy balance.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#66

Post by DoofusOfDeath »

I get the sense that many employers see WFH as a temporary measure rather than long-term shift. And consequently they're not willing to seriously invest in tools and processes that would make WFH maximally productive.

Suppose for example that Google enacted this policy:

(1) They reimburse each employee up to $30k to upgrade their home office, including soundproofing. After Google trained local builders on effective soundproofing strategies and designs.

(2) Google provides (with installation) a Google Jamboard to facilitate virtual whiteboard sessions.

(3) Google updates their team rules and meeting rules s.t. if anyone in a team or meeting is remote, then the entire team or meeting is remote.

(4) Google invests in networking infrastructure (as needed) to ensure decent network connectivity from the employee's home office to Google's internal networks.

I imagine that all FAANG companies could afford this. The open question, to me at least, is whether or not that magnitude of investment would make WFH a net win for those companies. But if they see WFH as a short term measure, I assume the answer is no.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#67

Post by echelon »

cozzyd wrote: post #21

Working from home requires a lot more discipline. For some people that's not a problem, for a lot of people it is. edit: based on responses I didn't communicate clearly. What I mean is that there are way more potential distractions at home. Some people are still able to be productive in spite of that, but a lot of people (including myself!) are less productive. For some people it may even be the case that working fro…

I have ADHD and this is a nightmare.

I haven't taken a vacation all year. (What's the point?) I haven't seen friends or family since March/April. I'm at my computer 24/7. (I've actually fallen asleep using it.)

I think I've actually started aging faster.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#68

Post by 02020202 »

the problem is not working from home. the problem is that we are still being forced to 8 hour work-days. that is insane 20th century thinking. i have been working part-time essentially my entire professional life. i clock only real work and i charge appropriately. it saves my time and client's wallet. anyone who think normies are productive the entire 8 hour, that they are paid for, is insane in the membrane.

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#69

Post by [deleted] »

JSavageOne wrote: post #46
phendrenad2 wrote: post #3

There's going to be a BIG push to go back to offices soon. I expect some companies will start experimenting with micro-offices (4-5 employees in a medium wework room).

Highly disagree. Most people I know don't want to return to the office. Any company that makes a "BIG" push to force employees back to offices will see a ton of attrition since now practically every company is remote.

[deleted]

Re: Google’s Internal Data Show Engineers Found It Harder to Code from Home

#70

Post by crx07 »

To what extent is this an actual issue with WFH?

COVID has deteriorated my mental health significantly, and the last time my productivity was this low, I was a teenager living with my parents.

I've spent the majority of my career working from home, and I suspect this data has little if any relationship to workspaces -- almost everyone I know is bent out of shape right now.

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