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Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

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Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#81

Post by JackPoach »

hhjinks wrote: post #49
strstr wrote: post #4

This is a massive accidental experiment on the effectiveness of fully remote teams. Most of these companies are fairly reticent to have even a few workers remote, let alone entire teams/orgs. It'll be interesting to see if teams push for something closer to full remote wherever it worked well (or if some employees will want it, having not realized what it was like). Plausibly teams that it works well for will have gr…

I have no desire to have a long term remote job. I want to work in the office. However, I've opted to be remote for a couple weeks after someone in the office tested positive for COVID-19. My productivity is noticeably lower (for me at least). I would imagine such a radically different work environment would take time for anyone to adapt to.

Same here. I stayed at home and worked remotely for one day last week. I've done about 30% of my regular workload. Granted, I was seek and I am in a management position, overseeing 20+ employees, but still.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#82

Post by chronofar »

guessmyname wrote: post #8

My employer dislikes remote work, many will disagree, but I’ll explain why… The company makes video games and as you can probably guess being creative is very important. Working from home reduces the creativity of every employee not just because the existing tools for telecommute are insufficient to create a good work environment but also because it prevents people from socializing with spontaneity. Add to this the f…

> many of the game developers and designers need special hardware (different game consoles, VPN routers, high speed Internet, interactive pen displays, additional software licenses, etc) that the company would have to buy for every single person to maintain the quality and development speed they have from working on-site.

Buying individuals what they need is likely still cheaper than maintaining a large office space. Likely much cheaper.

> Working from home reduces the creativity of every employee not just because the existing tools for telecommute are insufficient to create a good work environment but also because it prevents people from socializing with spontaneity.

The tools are not insufficient, people's use of them are. The tools will allow you to do most anything you could in an office, management must facilitate processes to produce to desired output. If team creativity is the aim you can organize situations that maximize spontaneity and interaction.

I've not worked for a game studio so I certainly can't speak to the nuances therein, however the reasons you've given here for not working remote aren't compelling. People always give a host of reasons that ultimately boil down to a lack of proper process and management, which is needed in office just as much as out of office.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#83

Post by Zenbit_UX »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #48
strstr wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh? I’m pretty confused by this attitude. This seems pretty callous. Obviously, media hype train is in full swing, but this is fairly infectious and fairly dangerous for those over 80 and those with other risk factors. That’s narrow, but it is not nothing. Personal risk is pretty low for me (at my age/health status), but I’m still not super interested in getting knocked on my ass for a week. Particularly since coron…

It’s nothing, because people can’t do anything other than wash their hands and not touch their faces. The media hype is a problem because it causes supply chain issues. People over 80 are always at risk of the flu and other crap, and again, the only thing to do is properly wash your hands and not touch your face.

I would be a lot of money that you touch your face dozens - if not hundreds of times - a day, just like everyone else. It's a normal human reaction to multiple stimuli. There's a video spreading on reddit right now of the talking heads regurgitating the same advice you're giving now, they usually last about a few seconds after telling others not to, before touch their face.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#84

Post by texasbigdata »

JackPoach wrote: post #81
hhjinks wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no desire to have a long term remote job. I want to work in the office. However, I've opted to be remote for a couple weeks after someone in the office tested positive for COVID-19. My productivity is noticeably lower (for me at least). I would imagine such a radically different work environment would take time for anyone to adapt to.

Same here. I stayed at home and worked remotely for one day last week. I've done about 30% of my regular workload. Granted, I was seek and I am in a management position, overseeing 20+ employees, but still.

I am wondering what your home set up is. A few years ago I built a full mirror setup of my work environment at home (the hardware) and that decrease in friction really helped with the mental ability to get started and in the 'flow'.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#85

Post by texasbigdata »

znpy wrote: post #74
orion_uranus wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried the library? Personally I noticed it help me if I did my usual routine but instead of going to work I'd go work at home. What I mean by this is that i'd wake up at my normal time, wear actual work clothes and fully prepare myself like I'd usually do going to the office. Gets my head in the right space.

> Have you tried the library? I tried that but quite frankly, it's enormously dangerous: libraries are not meant to be a workplace and as such, for example, there (usually) is an explicit exclusion of responsibility in case of stolen goods. Basically, if you work from the library and your work laptop gets stolen, it's only your fault, cannot blame on anyone else. And that's right, in my opinion. At least coworking sp…

Maybe I'm paranoid but I never leave my laptop behind in the car or in a coffee shop to go to the bathroom. Given how much access you might have to different systems.... Could be very painful. Maybe that's psycho. But would do the same at the library.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#86

Post by JoeAltmaier »

orion_uranus wrote: post #62
input_sh wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same way. I need a change of environment in order to be fully productive. Whether it's a cafe next door or an office, doesn't matter as long as it's not my home.

Have you tried the library? Personally I noticed it help me if I did my usual routine but instead of going to work I'd go work at home. What I mean by this is that i'd wake up at my normal time, wear actual work clothes and fully prepare myself like I'd usually do going to the office. Gets my head in the right space.

My library is a no-go in my opinion. They have meeting rooms, sure, but each 6-8-person room is occupied by one college student studying alone. So its share a table with strangers or nothing.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#87

Post by draw_down »

WalterGR wrote: post #79

Microsoft is going further for employees who literally can't work from home. Title: Microsoft will pay hourly workers regularly even if they spend less time on the clock because of coronavirus https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/05/microsoft-will-pay-hourly-wo... "The policy applies to people who work for other companies but provide services like bus rides or food service to Microsoft."

My company is also doing this. I think it’s what they should do, and it’s not worth reportage nor accolades.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#88

Post by Traster »

mcv wrote: post #64

> "at least 70 confirmed cases and 10 deaths." This low number of confirmed cases combined with the high number of deaths, suggests there are hundreds of undiscovered cases still out there. Most countries seem to have a death rate closer to 2%, but in the US it appears to be a lot higher, which suggests many cases are not represented in these numbers. That, or it's become a lot more deadly. Neither is good.

You'll consistently see higher death rates and lower diagnosis rates in the US when compared to countries where healthcare isn't a massive financial burden.

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#89

Post by ailideex »

feistypharit wrote: post #78
mcv wrote: post #64

> "at least 70 confirmed cases and 10 deaths." This low number of confirmed cases combined with the high number of deaths, suggests there are hundreds of undiscovered cases still out there. Most countries seem to have a death rate closer to 2%, but in the US it appears to be a lot higher, which suggests many cases are not represented in these numbers. That, or it's become a lot more deadly. Neither is good.

The us is totally unprepared for this. Similar to our all out other public infrastructure, we've been neglecting it for years.

Which country was totally prepared for this?

Re: Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking staff to work from home

#90

Post by zzzcpan »

ailideex wrote: post #89
feistypharit wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The us is totally unprepared for this. Similar to our all out other public infrastructure, we've been neglecting it for years.

Which country was totally prepared for this?

Probably none of the countries that push "don't use masks" propaganda.
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