Tech Biz: Elon Musk says the ‘laptop class’ needs to ‘get off their moral high horse’ when it comes to remote work

[slewdem100]

Bruh, this is a survey of the employees. Of course they are going to poll saying they are more productive.
Question: If employees are more productive working remote, why would employers be willing to pay for office space for less productivity? Every large business has a staff of people looking for ways to save money. Wouldn’t it be obvious to let employees keep working from home to save millions in office space rent?

Like I said, there are many articles on this

https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebts...hats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=7ba7c714286a

As to why they want people back in the office, it could be as simple as an older generation having a tough time with a culture shift or many of these individuals having interests in commercial real estate

In DC many of the feds were shifting to a hybrid model. Trump came in and immediately all WFH days were cut in half or removed entirely at the agency I was working at. No reason was given and lack of productivity was never mentioned. Culture shift from a Democrat administration to a Republican one.

Its obvious why Elon Musk would want all his employees in one place where he can watch them. I am sure you have heard the stories of how he treats his employees. Everybody has seen how vicious he has been with twitter employees.

There is something to be said for the hybrid model because the culture of this country is to have social interaction through work and lack of social interaction will have disastrous impacts down the line. I am quite confident that Elon aint worried about that though.

 

[Flawless]

All the big tech companies are reporting record profits yet remote work is a problem? Sounds like dude likes to micromanage his employees.

 

[BigDaddyBuk]

Everybody doesn't get to fcuk Nia Long, that doesn't make it unfair!!! This fcuking guy!!!

that...might actually be unfair

 

[BigDaddyBuk]

Already before COVID, we had peer-reviewed research demonstrating that remote work improved productivity.

thanks for this.

 

[0utsyder]

that...might actually be unfair

...I mean for me! Fcuk ya'll ninjas!!!!!

 

[^SpiderMan^]

All the big tech companies are reporting record profits yet remote work is a problem? Sounds like dude likes to micromanage his employees.

Big Tech has been laying off thousands of employees since late last year.
Here is a daily tracker of Tech layoffs.

Layoffs.fyi - Tech Layoff Tracker and Startup Layoff Lists

[LIVE] Tracking all tech startup layoffs — and lists of employees laid off — since COVID-19. This page is constantly being updated.

layoffs.fyi

A comprehensive list of 2023 tech layoffs

Here you’ll find a complete list of all the known layoffs in tech, from Big Tech to startups, broken down by month throughout 2023.

techcrunch.com

 

[Camille]

Like I said, there are many articles on this

https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebts...hats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=7ba7c714286a

As to why they want people back in the office, it could be as simple as an older generation having a tough time with a culture shift or many of these individuals having interests in commercial real estate

In DC many of the feds were shifting to a hybrid model. Trump came in and immediately all WFH days were cut in half or removed entirely at the agency I was working at. No reason was given and lack of productivity was never mentioned. Culture shift from a Democrat administration to a Republican one.

Its obvious why Elon Musk would want all his employees in one place where he can watch them. I am sure you have heard the stories of how he treats his employees. Everybody has seen how vicious he has been with twitter employees.

There is something to be said for the hybrid model because the culture of this country is to have social interaction through work and lack of social interaction will have disastrous impacts down the line. I am quite confident that Elon aint worried about that though.

I think initial training and the first few weeks of work should be on site, if possible. Being able to get visual feed back when people are confused and looking puzzled but too scared to ask questions, and other visual cues that are there that you don't necessarily get remotely is very helpful when adapting your teaching style to compliment the pace of the trainees.

When working remotely you can feel isolated and can't really tell how you are performing or advancing in comparison to other coworkers. That said, I much prefer working at home and am Thankful that I can do so. I just have to make sure that I don't let myself get into a rut or let my appearance go down because I don't have to be seen daily.

 

[^SpiderMan^]

Like I said, there are many articles on this

https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebts...hats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=7ba7c714286a

As to why they want people back in the office, it could be as simple as an older generation having a tough time with a culture shift or many of these individuals having interests in commercial real estate

In DC many of the feds were shifting to a hybrid model. Trump came in and immediately all WFH days were cut in half or removed entirely at the agency I was working at. No reason was given and lack of productivity was never mentioned. Culture shift from a Democrat administration to a Republican one.

Its obvious why Elon Musk would want all his employees in one place where he can watch them. I am sure you have heard the stories of how he treats his employees. Everybody has seen how vicious he has been with twitter employees.

There is something to be said for the hybrid model because the culture of this country is to have social interaction through work and lack of social interaction will have disastrous impacts down the line. I am quite confident that Elon aint worried about that though.

We agree on the generational shift in attitude.
Politicians don’t want WFH because it hurts local economies.

What we don’t seem to agree on is that Employers dont want WFH because productivity decreases. There are certain types of jobs where WFH likely doesn’t decrease productivity, (call center, receptionist, customer service, some knowledge work, research, coding, etc).

 

[^SpiderMan^]

It’s easy for differences of opinion to turn into a debate where the goal is to protect the opinion rather than seek the truth. If we are all being honest, most of you like working from home because you can multitask doing your personal stuff and have your own entertainment (TV, podcasts, surfing internet, BGOL, etc) while working.

One thing that hasn’t been discussed in this thread and to look out for is that working remote increases the odds of your job getting disrupted by AI.

 

[Camille]

It’s easy for differences of opinion to turn into a debate where the goal is to protect the opinion rather than seek the truth. If we are all being honest, most of you like working from home because you can multitask doing your personal stuff and have your own entertainment (TV, podcasts, surfing internet, BGOL, etc) while working.

One thing that hasn’t been discussed in this thread and to look out for is that working remote increases the odds of your job getting disrupted by AI.

I do call center work. I have to be on the phone taking calls constantly. Breaks are timed. They only thing different from work on site is that I am able to have snacks at my desk and a mug that actually keeps my tea hot. I have the TV on mute in the background, just like at work, only its tuned to something I'm interested in instead of sports that all the male employees like to watch.

All the metrics we have to meet for call handling etc are the same.

I get two extra hours at the beginning of my day and one at the end because I don't have to commute. I'm not eating as much fast food because I eat at home. I don't have a cold every other week because of all the cooties circulating in the air. It saves on gas, food and wear and tear on my car. I'd probably have to have had a new car by now if I wasn't working from home. When the weather is bad I don't have to drive in it, so I'm not late or in danger. I don't have to drive after dark when my vision isn't as good. (I lost my glasses and haven't had them replaced yet.) The only downside is I'm not as physically active and am not up on the corporate gossip.

There are some benefits to working on site. I think relationships are better with management when they know you personally, and in person training/on boarding. Our job is also making noise about coming back on site, tho my understanding is they no longer lease or own the buildings we had here, but they may in other states and overseas. If that happens I may need to look for a new job to keep working at home. Hopefully they don't let us all go who live in areas where they don't reopen the buildings and give enough advance notice to react. My employer is notoriously bad when it comes to advance notice.

 

[knightmelodic]

 

[slewdem100]

It’s easy for differences of opinion to turn into a debate where the goal is to protect the opinion rather than seek the truth. If we are all being honest, most of you like working from home because you can multitask doing your personal stuff and have your own entertainment (TV, podcasts, surfing internet, BGOL, etc) while working.

One thing that hasn’t been discussed in this thread and to look out for is that working remote increases the odds of your job getting disrupted by AI.

Speaking for myself and other people I know the number one reason we like working from home is so we can avoid the DC commute. The other stuff you mentioned are definitely perks and plusses but the lack of a commute is great and that commute is one productivity advantage for WFH as opposed to working in the office...believe me, aint nobody feeling super productive in the morning after battling through morning rush hour

I am not arguing that people dont slack off at home, I am saying in most cases it evens out as people slacked off in the office too....coffee breaks/ smoke breaks/ stretch your legs break/ holla at the shorty 2 cubes down break/ you seen the game last night break/ office gossip break/ read newspaper in the morning (old school) break/ etc...and yes there are places that micromanage the fuck out of you so you cant take a break but people tend to leave those jobs after a short while....on one of my WFH jobs just after COVID, they monitored that activity button so hard I definitely felt I coulda slacked off more in the office

Also, one of the things I notice is that I keep working past 5pm if I'm in the middle of something WFH whereas that work would have stopped if I was in the office...I start working earlier too...I can tell you I am not the only one who does this

Don't forget, deadlines are deadlines whether you work at home or in the office...deliverables are deliverables no matter where you work...accountability doesn't stop just because you work from home...there might not be a way to verify that someone is working every single minute when they are at home but assignments are either delivered on time at a certain standard or they are not

 

[LordSinister]

I disagree with the logic but it is a similar logic that is used for most equity arguments. If we are being honest, employees are likely to be much more productive in the office where they are visible to a supervisor than at home where they have more access to distracting activities. If I had to guess, the mass majority of people that are working from home are CACs. The only job that I know large numbers of us are doing from home lately is Call Center work which will likely remain as a "work from home" job.

Bullshit! Remove the 1.5 to 2 hour commute, the extra time getting ready and the overall stress and you'll get more out of competent people. Supervisors and management spend way too much of the day forcing people into never ending emails to justify their Bullshit careers. So much fucking waste on shit that could be an email it's ridiculous.

 

[^SpiderMan^]

I do call center work. I have to be on the phone taking calls constantly. Breaks are timed. They only thing different from work on site is that I am able to have snacks at my desk and a mug that actually keeps my tea hot. I have the TV on mute in the background, just like at work, only its tuned to something I'm interested in instead of sports that all the male employees like to watch.

All the metrics we have to meet for call handling etc are the same.

I get two extra hours at the beginning of my day and one at the end because I don't have to commute. I'm not eating as much fast food because I eat at home. I don't have a cold every other week because of all the cooties circulating in the air. It saves on gas, food and wear and tear on my car. I'd probably have to have had a new car by now if I wasn't working from home. When the weather is bad I don't have to drive in it, so I'm not late or in danger. I don't have to drive after dark when my vision isn't as good. (I lost my glasses and haven't had them replaced yet.) The only downside is I'm not as physically active and am not up on the corporate gossip.

There are some benefits to working on site. I think relationships are better with management when they know you personally, and in person training/on boarding. Our job is also making noise about coming back on site, tho my understanding is they no longer lease or own the buildings we had here, but they may in other states and overseas. If that happens I may need to look for a new job to keep working at home. Hopefully they don't let us all go who live in areas where they don't reopen the buildings and give enough advance notice to react. My employer is notoriously bad when it comes to advance notice.

I actually edited my post. Initially, I pointed out that some jobs (call center work, customer service, some knowledge work, etc) can maintain the same productivity because they are engaging, it is hard to multitask while doing them, and because they are measurable. I actually listed those same jobs for the same reasons.

 

[^SpiderMan^]

Speaking for myself and other people I know the number one reason we like working from home is so we can avoid the DC commute. The other stuff you mentioned are definitely perks and plusses but the lack of a commute is great and that commute is one productivity advantage for WFH as opposed to working in the office...believe me, aint nobody feeling super productive in the morning after battling through morning rush hour

I am not arguing that people dont slack off at home, I am saying in most cases it evens out as people slacked off in the office too....coffee breaks/ smoke breaks/ stretch your legs break/ holla at the shorty 2 cubes down break/ you seen the game last night break/ office gossip break/ read newspaper in the morning (old school) break/ etc...and yes there are places that micromanage the fuck out of you so you cant take a break but people tend to leave those jobs after a short while....on one of my WFH jobs just after COVID, they monitored that activity button so hard I definitely felt I coulda slacked off more in the office

Also, one of the things I notice is that I keep working past 5pm if I'm in the middle of something WFH whereas that work would have stopped if I was in the office...I start working earlier too...I can tell you I am not the only one who does this

Don't forget, deadlines are deadlines whether you work at home or in the office...deliverables are deliverables no matter where you work...accountability doesn't stop just because you work from home...there might not be a way to verify that someone is working every single minute when they are at home but assignments are either delivered on time at a certain standard or they are not

To be clear, I'm not against working from home. My wife works from home and we love it because she can still provide household needs and child care while on the clock. There are clear benefits for employees in eliminating a commute, a more relaxed environment, and the ability to multitask home duties while working. There are clear benefits for employers in reducing costs of office space, maintenance, security, liability, parking stipends, and commute stipends. Saving from these costs can easily approach millions. My point is that I get why employers would be motivated to return people to the office. If production was equal or didn't exceed the costs, employers wouldn't be pushing employees to come back to work. Especially in this economy.

 

[850credit]

Dem folks that work for him only do so for what's in it for them. Just cause he wants to live at the office don't put that on everyone else. He wouldn't do all that if he didn't own the company.

 

[slewdem100]

To be clear, I'm not against working from home. My wife works from home and we love it because she can still provide household needs and child care while on the clock. There are clear benefits for employees in eliminating a commute, a more relaxed environment, and the ability to multitask home duties while working. There are clear benefits for employers in reducing costs of office space, maintenance, security, liability, parking stipends, and commute stipends. Saving from these costs can easily approach millions. My point is that I get why employers would be motivated to return people to the office. If production was equal or didn't exceed the costs, employers wouldn't be pushing employees to come back to work. Especially in this economy.

You jinxed me...just got the email that they are working on how best to transition back to in-office work...and I never even took full advantage and got a second WFH gig like the smart people did (I was going through some shit)...might never got an opportunity like this again

Granted this aint the first time I seen an email like this and I don't think they are stupid enough to ever go back to full time in-office

You are taking a nuanced, logical look at the issue...I suspect you are underestimating just how much culture plays a role and how much people like to micromanage and how much people like to see their workers in the big, shiny building with their company's name on it

 

[Camille]

You jinxed me...just got the email that they are working on how best to transition back to in-office work...and I never even took full advantage and got a second WFH gig like the smart people did (I was going through some shit)...might never got an opportunity like this again

Granted this aint the first time I seen an email like this and I don't think they are stupid enough to ever go back to full time in-office

You are taking a nuanced, logical look at the issue...I suspect you are underestimating just how much culture plays a role and how much people like to micromanage and how much people like to see their workers in the big, shiny building with their company's name on it

I hope you get to stay remote. I'm realizing I haven't taken as full advantage of wfh as I could have either.

BTW Just came across this article. Apparently Elon doesn't believe in paying rent. I don't know if this means he prefers to own the building or not.

Elon Musk told a Twitter advisor at 4 a.m. that the company would only pay rent over his 'dead body,' lawsuit says

Twitter has faced several lawsuits from its landlords over the last few months alleging nonpayment of rent, but a new lawsuit provides more insight.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Dannyblueyes]

On one hand I can understand why a social media company that handles sensitive and potentially harmful information might want it's employees to work from the office.

On the other hand, who the hell is Elon Musk to pass judgment on everyone else and why the hell do we keep listening to him?

This is the same man that threatened to move his entire auto plant to Texas because he didn't want to protect his employees from a deadly virus. The same plant where the employees made several credible complaints of racism on the job.

At the same time, he makes the news every other week for complaining about how San Francisco is a hell hole filled with crime and violence. His headquarters are across the street from the most prolific drug markets in the city. A place where a cop was shot with his own gun a few years ago.

So I guess it's morally wrong for his employees to work from home, but not morally wrong for him to subject them to those kinds of dangers in their commute?

He also has no problem asking employees to dedicate themselves to the point where they're sleeping in their office. But sleeping in their own bed is morally wrong?

Elon Musk is a smart businessman who successfully made his wealthy family even wealthier, but that doesn't make him an expert on anything else. It's certainly doesn't make him any sort of moral authority.

Especially when a good part of his personal wealth came from trolling crypto. If he had done that with stocks or securities he would be in jail right now.

 

[Gods_Debris]

Kevin O'leary doesn't have much experience managing employees. He created and sold a startup, then mainly funded other businesses. Elon has much more experience running businesses and managing employees.

Paypal?

 

[Gods_Debris]

It’s easy for differences of opinion to turn into a debate where the goal is to protect the opinion rather than seek the truth. If we are all being honest, most of you like working from home because you can multitask doing your personal stuff and have your own entertainment (TV, podcasts, surfing internet, BGOL, etc) while working.

One thing that hasn’t been discussed in this thread and to look out for is that working remote increases the odds of your job getting disrupted by AI.

No it doesn't, AI's appeal in productivity improvements have 100% nothing to do with whether or not your ass is in a rolling chair at 8 a.m. every week day. There is no way you can compete without literally systematically integrating.

 

[Gods_Debris]

On one hand I can understand why a social media company that handles sensitive and potentially harmful information might want it's employees to work from the office.

On the other hand, who the hell is Elon Musk to pass judgment on everyone else and why the hell do we keep listening to him?

This is the same man that threatened to move his entire auto plant to Texas because he didn't want to protect his employees from a deadly virus. The same plant where the employees made several credible complaints of racism on the job.

At the same time, he makes the news every other week for complaining about how San Francisco is a hell hole filled with crime and violence. His headquarters are across the street from the most prolific drug markets in the city. A place where a cop was shot with his own gun a few years ago.

So I guess it's morally wrong for his employees to work from home, but not morally wrong for him to subject them to those kinds of dangers in their commute?

He also has no problem asking employees to dedicate themselves to the point where they're sleeping in their office. But sleeping in their own bed is morally wrong?

Elon Musk is a smart businessman who successfully made his wealthy family even wealthier, but that doesn't make him an expert on anything else. It's certainly doesn't make him any sort of moral authority.

Especially when a good part of his personal wealth came from trolling crypto. If he had done that with stocks or securities he would be in jail right now.

Somehow I don't think that ship has sailed

 

[slewdem100]

I hope you get to stay remote. I'm realizing I haven't taken as full advantage of wfh as I could have either.

BTW Just came across this article. Apparently Elon doesn't believe in paying rent. I don't know if this means he prefers to own the building or not.

Elon Musk told a Twitter advisor at 4 a.m. that the company would only pay rent over his 'dead body,' lawsuit says

Twitter has faced several lawsuits from its landlords over the last few months alleging nonpayment of rent, but a new lawsuit provides more insight.

www.businessinsider.com

Appreciate it. There is still time to take advantage of it.

Elon is about what's most beneficial to Elon and he is rich enough that the negatives of being that way don't affect him as much...he will say whatever he needs to say to get his way and will try to play on emotions but that dude is amoral

 

[Dr. Truth]

Bullshit! Remove the 1.5 to 2 hour commute, the extra time getting ready and the overall stress and you'll get more out of competent people. Supervisors and management spend way too much of the day forcing people into never ending emails to justify their Bullshit careers. So much fucking waste on shit that could be an email it's ridiculous.

Spider-Man is a big Elon fan , thought y’all knew this

 

[Dannyblueyes]

I hope you get to stay remote. I'm realizing I haven't taken as full advantage of wfh as I could have either.

BTW Just came across this article. Apparently Elon doesn't believe in paying rent. I don't know if this means he prefers to own the building or not.

Elon Musk told a Twitter advisor at 4 a.m. that the company would only pay rent over his 'dead body,' lawsuit says

Twitter has faced several lawsuits from its landlords over the last few months alleging nonpayment of rent, but a new lawsuit provides more insight.

www.businessinsider.com

Great article. Couple questions though.

If Musk isn't paying rent in San Francisco because it's a "shithole city" does that also apply to London and New York as well?

Also, if he hasn't paid rent in 5 months how does he still even have a building? If any other San Francisco business or home gets 5 days behind the landlord will start eviction proceedings on day 6.

 

[Camille]

Great article. Couple questions though.

If Musk isn't paying rent in San Francisco because it's a "shithole city" does that also apply to London and New York as well?

Also, if he hasn't paid rent in 5 months how does he still even have a building? If any other San Francisco business or home gets 5 days behind the landlord will start eviction proceedings on day 6.

I'm assuming they have a lease or contract hence being sued. I thought he had stipulations when he took over twitter that he had to keep the buildings and the name on the building. I think he's trying to get out of the contracts but can't initiate the process. That's just speculation on my part tho.

 

[b_visionary]

This weird racist asshole just wants to lord over his employees.

 

[Dannyblueyes]

I'm assuming they have a lease or contract hence being sued. I thought he had stipulations when he took over twitter that he had to keep the buildings and the name on the building. I think he's trying to get out of the contracts but can't initiate the process. That's just speculation on my part tho.

That actually makes a lot of sense!

Mr Dorsey and company sign that lease years ago when San Francisco office space was at a premium. In 2023 there is so much empty space that real estate companies are pushing the city to rezone some of it for residential use.

Now the owners have two choices. They can either kick Twitter out and lease it to someone else at a much lower rate, or they can take Musk to court to compel him to pay what they were getting before.

My guess is that they will settle. Musk will end up paying a portion of the back rent he owes and negotiate for a lower rate going forward.

As much as I despise Musk I hope he wins . It'll put more pressure on the city to turn those offices into apartments. Once that happens rents will lower across the city, there will be less traffic on the freeway, and fewer boarded up storefronts downtown.

Like I said before, Musk is a talented businessman, but a piss poor human being.

 

[Dannyblueyes]

Like I said, there are many articles on this

https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebts...hats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=7ba7c714286a

As to why they want people back in the office, it could be as simple as an older generation having a tough time with a culture shift or many of these individuals having interests in commercial real estate

In DC many of the feds were shifting to a hybrid model. Trump came in and immediately all WFH days were cut in half or removed entirely at the agency I was working at. No reason was given and lack of productivity was never mentioned. Culture shift from a Democrat administration to a Republican one.

Its obvious why Elon Musk would want all his employees in one place where he can watch them. I am sure you have heard the stories of how he treats his employees. Everybody has seen how vicious he has been with twitter employees.

There is something to be said for the hybrid model because the culture of this country is to have social interaction through work and lack of social interaction will have disastrous impacts down the line. I am quite confident that Elon aint worried about that though.

Disastrous? I'm not so sure about that.

During covid most people were stuck at home and those who weren't had to stay away from their co-workers. So more people hung out at the park. Those who worked from home took their laptops to outdoor restaurants and coffee shops. People formed activist groups that did everything from march against police brutality to fill in potholes.

There's nothing wrong with making friends at work, but why should any of those friendships be based on being stuck in the same building? The moment you or your friend leave that building for another one that friendship will usually fizzle out and die.

Quick question. How many friends do you have left over from your last job? How about your last career change?

 

[slewdem100]

Disastrous? I'm not so sure about that.

During covid most people were stuck at home and those who weren't had to stay away from their co-workers. So more people hung out at the park. Those who worked from home took their laptops to outdoor restaurants and coffee shops. People formed activist groups that did everything from march against police brutality to fill in potholes.

There's nothing wrong with making friends at work, but why should any of those friendships be based on being stuck in the same building? The moment you or your friend leave that building for another one that friendship will usually fizzle out and die.

Quick question. How many friends do you have left over from your last job? How about your last career change?

I get your point...there is an issue with lack of social interaction with the rise of WFH ....obviously not with everybody but there is an issue...disastrous might have been hyperbole

 

[Coldchi]

man if this nigga dont stfu

 

[Walter Panov]

Don't forget, deadlines are deadlines whether you work at home or in the office...deliverables are deliverables no matter where you work...accountability doesn't stop just because you work from home...there might not be a way to verify that someone is working every single minute when they are at home but assignments are either delivered on time at a certain standard or they are not

And this is all that matters

 

[Dannyblueyes]

I get your point...there is an issue with lack of social interaction with the rise of WFH ....obviously not with everybody but there is an issue...disastrous might have been hyperbole

Society will have to make adjustments, but it's not too much to ask.

WFH means there's less cars on our roads. That means less pollution and less closures for repair.

It also means less revenue for downtown offices and buildings, however this also encourages cities to allow more housing there. That means people who can't work from home don't have to travel as far.

Cities can do their part by allowing restaurants to use street parking as parklets for more seating. Shutting down local roads to pedestrian and bike traffic only. Pausing freeway expansions and creating more public spaces.

Turn our houses and businesses from a collection of buildings into an actual community.

 

[crossovernegro]

The part about companies having to pay for leased space that isn't being used, I do understand. Full disclosure, been working from home since way before Covid.... when my current employer bought my old company and merged us into my current group, they were already very ok with WFH, and said up front that since the group was headquarted in Tampa and we were all in NJ, they didn't want to lease space up here and that we'd be working from home. This was 2013 or so and it has worked out. I'm in a systems administration and application support group, so lots and lots of collaboration, training, on the spot innovation, etc. Work with other sysadmins, software developers, QA people as well as customers, vendors, etc. In our case, working from home has not led to a drop in productivity or any other problems. Our servers are hudreds to thousands of miles away from all of us, and many of our developers and DBAs are out in Olympia, WA... so even for the people that are in the office are collabing with co-workers on the phone or on Teams more than they are with anyone sitting in the same office.

With all that in mind, they worked out leasing a much smaller space in the same building, probably less than 1/3 the size of the original space with the idea that the people in Tampa are gonna do the hybrid thing; 2 days per week in the office at least, and more if they want, although nobody is really policing it.

Not everybody works in tech so I'm sure it may not be as smooth at a financial, advertising or chemical company, etc. I do believe that to some extent though, higher up managers are bullshitting about production dropoffs. I say this because in the 10+ years that I've been working from home, they get wayyyyy more out of me than they did when I was working in the office (old company, before this company bought us out). When it's quitting time, I'm not rushing out to my car to get the fuck outta dodge... and at night or on the weekends when I think of an idea, I'll sit down at my desk in my home, log on to the vpn and fuck around to test out that idea. When there's some shit that I didn't get a chance to work on during work hours, I'll be sitting at home watching TV and decide to turn my chair around and work on it instead of waiting until I'm back on the clock. I've jumped out of bed to log in and make a change or prevent some problem that I just thought about while dozing off. None of that shit would be happening if my desk wasn't a few steps away. My direct supervisor is moving 90 minutes north of the office so he'll be switching to 95% WFH, and he would definitely not be doing that if he thought it would cause any problems... but our VP is always pushing getting locals back into the office for that hybrid model, which is cool, but he keeps talking about collaboration, etc, and we laugh because for us, being at a desk 10 feet away from another guy at a desk is no different than me working at my desk in my room in New Jersey and the guy I'm working a problem with being at a desk in his house in Tampa, or the office in Tampa.

Yeah his point is stupid... Ok, so am I on a high horse when I'm sitting at my desk and look out the window at the constructions workers, delivery people, etc.. when its 30 or 95 degrees outside and they can't work inside?

I do agree with some aspects of returning to the office as it relates to accelerated productivity, innovation, and adhoc problem solving by way of in person interactions such as breakroom, hallway conversations, etc. Having to schedule a whole meeting or chase people on Teams slows me down more often than not. But depending on your job role, I think it should be a "hybrid" model where possible.

These corporations are tired of taking a hit on the books because they are still paying for empty office spaces as landlords are not budging on those leases anymore as they look to maintain/grow revenue. That said, people HAD to know the age of "everyone can work from home full time" was going to come to an end in some fashion somewhere along the line. Case in point, I work for a Fortune Top 20 company and just earlier today they sent out a communication to senior management to lay out the plan of how we are pulling people back into the offices. Some people are going to be BIG MAD...and threaten to leave. Welp, the message we just got from the top is "let'em go". ✌
So, its going to be interesting to see how this year unfolds across the tech industry.

 

[parisian]

who the fuck cares about that puto's opinion on anything?