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Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

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Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#71

Post by Eddy_Viscosity2 »

yashg wrote: post #58
mikestew wrote: post #26

Surely I can't be the only HN reader that thought, "I can't remember the last time I touched a stapler." Frankly, I think the headline writer threw staplers in there just for the sizzle. If I might so boldly suggest reading TFA, staplers are just one example of other things that made a lot of sense. Yoga classes on a Friday afternoon when a lot of folks WFH (or not at all on a Friday afternoon)? Handing out multi-cor…

When I joined a new job about 7 years back I was given a brand new stapler, a roll of tape and other office supplies on the joining day. When I left 4 years later I hadn't even finished one cartridge of stapler lins. Tape was unused as well. A company of Google's size must be wasting a non trivial amount of money on things nobody uses as frequently anymore.

At my company there is a room full of office supplies - called the supply room. If you need something you go and get it there. It has all the usual things. If they run low, they buy more. If things aren't running low, they don't buy more. As a new employee you are told where this is and you get what you need when you need it. If you don't need it, you don't take it. Seems like a pretty sensible system.

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#72

Post by mikestew »

taeric wrote: post #67
mikestew wrote: post #26

Surely I can't be the only HN reader that thought, "I can't remember the last time I touched a stapler." Frankly, I think the headline writer threw staplers in there just for the sizzle. If I might so boldly suggest reading TFA, staplers are just one example of other things that made a lot of sense. Yoga classes on a Friday afternoon when a lot of folks WFH (or not at all on a Friday afternoon)? Handing out multi-cor…

Not wrong, but the same question goes to the internal memo. Why mention staples? Even if you are ramping down on purchasing them, you just stop buying them. You don't mention it. And if you are worried about google handing out things nobody uses.... I have really bad news for you. :D

And if you are worried about google handing out things nobody uses.... I have really bad news for you.

As one who used to have enough Microsoft-branded shirts to wear one to work everyday for a month and not repeat myself, I'm under no illusion that a large corporation doesn't hand out a lot of useless junk. :-)

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#74

Post by notatoad »

mikestew wrote: post #26

Surely I can't be the only HN reader that thought, "I can't remember the last time I touched a stapler." Frankly, I think the headline writer threw staplers in there just for the sizzle. If I might so boldly suggest reading TFA, staplers are just one example of other things that made a lot of sense. Yoga classes on a Friday afternoon when a lot of folks WFH (or not at all on a Friday afternoon)? Handing out multi-cor…

let's assume they're assigning a stapler to every single employee, at $15 per stapler, and a stapler has an average life of 10 years. at their current 190k headcount, they're spending ~275k per year on staplers.

that definitely seems like the sort of expense a company should review from time to time. assume that tape is a similar expense, the person who changes the policy from "we give you a stapler and tape whether you want it or not" to "if you want a stapler just come and get one" has saved the company 2-3x their annual salary. i'm sure there's plenty of staff at google who are less effective than that.

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#76

Post by rdtsc »

1101010010 wrote: post #44

It's not about cost savings, it's about psychological manipulation of employees as servants to the corporation. Why would they be any exception to its users?

I believe that’s the case as well. Some sort of psychological pressure and signaling. “Better not expect any raises, promotions or bonuses”

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#77

Post by microtherion »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #47
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #8

Wow, just wow. I have no doubt that Google has a lot of excess to cut, but IMO I always see it as the death knell for large companies when they start a nickel-and-dime approach to cost cutting. I can certainly see the argument for cuts where they are needed to improve focus, and lots of the FAANGs had too many "frilly" expenses in the past 5-10 years, but cutting expenses that improve your employee's productivity is…

> death knell for large companies when they start a nickel-and-dime approach to cost cutting Nickel and dimming would be requiring approvals and paperwork to buy a stapler. This is Google just not buying them. That seems reasonable at a tech company?

“If you need a stapler or tape, the receptionist desk has them to borrow.”

So each stapler use requires, say, a 5 minute detour (minimum, not counting lost focus or queueing) to the receptionist. At Google salaries, that's easily $10 in cost, so it's difficult to conceive how Google is expecting to come out ahead in the bargain.

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#78

Post by joshuamorton »

notatoad wrote: post #74
mikestew wrote: post #26

Surely I can't be the only HN reader that thought, "I can't remember the last time I touched a stapler." Frankly, I think the headline writer threw staplers in there just for the sizzle. If I might so boldly suggest reading TFA, staplers are just one example of other things that made a lot of sense. Yoga classes on a Friday afternoon when a lot of folks WFH (or not at all on a Friday afternoon)? Handing out multi-cor…

let's assume they're assigning a stapler to every single employee, at $15 per stapler, and a stapler has an average life of 10 years. at their current 190k headcount, they're spending ~275k per year on staplers. that definitely seems like the sort of expense a company should review from time to time. assume that tape is a similar expense, the person who changes the policy from "we give you a stapler and tape whether…

275k/year is less than one FTE, even given your favorable estimates of a really fancy stapler given to everyone when they walk in the door. (Bulk mediocre staplers are like $3, but a 10 year estimate is high, so we'll take it).

Presume an employee proposes this change. Some additional people have to approve and implement this new policy, updating documentation training and budgets and adding it to some inventory system and now you've spent in total, weeks or months of collective effort to maybe come out ahead but maybe just break even.

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#79

Post by seanmcdirmid »

yamtaddle wrote: post #46
mikestew wrote: post #26

Surely I can't be the only HN reader that thought, "I can't remember the last time I touched a stapler." Frankly, I think the headline writer threw staplers in there just for the sizzle. If I might so boldly suggest reading TFA, staplers are just one example of other things that made a lot of sense. Yoga classes on a Friday afternoon when a lot of folks WFH (or not at all on a Friday afternoon)? Handing out multi-cor…

> Handing out multi-core full-blown laptops to non-technical roles that could just as easily get by with a Chromebook? I have, over and over, seen companies burn the cost of a decent laptop at a rate between one per quarter and one per month per employee because they try to cheap out and the shitware they force on their workers runs like crap on anything that's not fairly powerful, wasting hours per week per employee…

My non-technical wife is always pegging her corporate computer running Adobe Creative Suite. I joke with her that she can use it as a heater in winter. Me? The programmer...I barely ever hear my fan.

Re: Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers

#80

Post by thrill »

jeffwask wrote: post #4
stygiansonic wrote: post #2

“We have been asked to pull all tape/dispensers through out the building,” a San Francisco facility directive stated. “If you need a stapler or tape, the receptionist desk has them to borrow.”

Tape is kinda silly but who staples and distributes paper documentation these days. People just gather all this shit then throw it in a drawer to never use out of decade old force of habit.

I used a round drawer. It self archived every night.
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