Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

When working from home is toxic

morgan.zoemp.be

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 90 posts

Re: When working from home is toxic

#81

Post by scooble »

nubb wrote: post #26

These articles are so low quality. Some ppl WFH better, some ppl prefer an office. This isn't ground breaking philosophy and the endless articles repeating the same basic idea is just boring now. /rant

And it’s not just about the people’s preference. An office could be the google campus or it could be a crappy cubicle farm. Similarly, wfh could be a studio flat where your workspace is a table shared with a homeschooled toddler, or it could be a fully kitted out home office with a forest view. So comparing wfh to an office could be comparing completely different things depending on the individuals circumstances.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#82

Post by imbnwa »

I've generally found office environments to be about everything but the business mission at hand, which is the sole purview of a managerial class which, simply based on the fact that it cannot physically be the case that the majority of managers are competent, relies on information hiding to exert its competency and the rest of the labor force is basically standing around playing at high school until assignments come down the pipe as they are relieved from having to actually be invested in a common goal. Labor turnover is about every 2 - 3 years, since, again, no one is invested in anything, management about every 5 years.

Better to work from home then entertain a myriad of diversions and mirages of working in an office.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#83

Post by fartcannon »

ghaff wrote: post #78
fartcannon wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're permitted to WFH indefinitely, you can move somewhere cheaper and buy a larger home for the same or lower price.

Many people like living where they are for reasons in addition to it's close to an office. And most of them will have an option to go into an office as was the pre-pandemic case although it may not be the same experience any longer for better or worse.

I should have written it as an option, not a solution. WFH will permit many people who dont like where they live, but have to be there for their job, to move away. This will reduce real estate costs and will permit people to buy larger homes near the cities they want to be in. Perhaps large enough to have their own home offices that they can then use to WFH if they choose.

WFH is win win I unless your income depends on being a landlord/real estate investor.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#84

Post by majewsky »

dukeofdoom wrote: post #77
Hamuko wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the best things about working at home has been that I've never had to queue for the toilet.

Some people have really nice toilets at home, that will wash their behind. Not many offices have ones that do that. So you end up sitting in your own excrement for 8 hours. The life style bump up from that, is worth it.

I'm very baffled by this comment, but too afraid to ask if you are aware of the existence of toilet paper.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#85

Post by majewsky »

MattGaiser wrote: post #8

I would be interested in a poll on WFH attitudes that just looked at home office vs work office setups. How many people have a primary motivation of a crappy home office?

It's not just about setups, it's about social life. I would describe myself as introverted, but even for me, being in an apartment all by myself for 80-90% of my waking day eventually breaks me. The first year of pandemic-related WfH was okay, but especially last winter was really terrible, when the pandemic-related loneliness compounded with the mood effects of prolonged winter darkness.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#86

Post by dukeofdoom »

majewsky wrote: post #84
dukeofdoom wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people have really nice toilets at home, that will wash their behind. Not many offices have ones that do that. So you end up sitting in your own excrement for 8 hours. The life style bump up from that, is worth it.

I'm very baffled by this comment, but too afraid to ask if you are aware of the existence of toilet paper.

Have you tried a bidet toilet before? Toilet paper does not do as good of a job as water. Not even close.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#87

Post by swiley »

dukeofdoom wrote: post #55

To me the home office wins out by a lot: Small cubicle with no window near by is a common office situation. Lack of exposure to sun disrupts the circadian rhythm. Vs Sitting next to a window at home. Many Office AC systems don't filter the air from pollutants adequately. Cheap office carpets tend to have all kinds of chemicals that off gas. No way to open a window to get fresh air. Vs the typical home office with a w…

My cubical has too much sun. The way it was set up when I came the monitor is in line with the arc the sun follows in the early spring.

Working from home I can just move my desk, I'm not sure what I'll do when I go back.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#88

Post by long_time_gone »

Hamuko wrote: post #73
long_time_gone wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

==Sitting prolonged times in a chair, and not being to take a bathroom break for long times.== Your office doesn’t let you use the restroom?

One of the best things about working at home has been that I've never had to queue for the toilet.

Sounds like you live alone, most people don't.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#89

Post by cortesoft »

fartcannon wrote: post #83
ghaff wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people like living where they are for reasons in addition to it's close to an office. And most of them will have an option to go into an office as was the pre-pandemic case although it may not be the same experience any longer for better or worse.

I should have written it as an option, not a solution. WFH will permit many people who dont like where they live, but have to be there for their job, to move away. This will reduce real estate costs and will permit people to buy larger homes near the cities they want to be in. Perhaps large enough to have their own home offices that they can then use to WFH if they choose. WFH is win win I unless your income depends…

Yeah, but I bought my house close to the office already… if house prices go down like you say, I would be under water and unable to buy another house even if it is cheaper.

Re: When working from home is toxic

#90

Post by fartcannon »

cortesoft wrote: post #89
fartcannon wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I should have written it as an option, not a solution. WFH will permit many people who dont like where they live, but have to be there for their job, to move away. This will reduce real estate costs and will permit people to buy larger homes near the cities they want to be in. Perhaps large enough to have their own home offices that they can then use to WFH if they choose. WFH is win win I unless your income depends…

Yeah, but I bought my house close to the office already… if house prices go down like you say, I would be under water and unable to buy another house even if it is cheaper.

Yeup, and I suspect a part of why we are going back to the office in September is that exact reason.
Post reply on HN