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Things that happen when you're in the office: - spins around in chair, interrupts and asks coworker a question, workshops ideas for 15 minutes, comes up with s

Things that happen when you're in the office: - spins around in chair, interrupts and asks coworker a question, workshops ideas for 15 minutes, comes up with solution, makes a meeting - boss comes over and tells workers there's some issue going on he's going to go deal with and he'll be available via cell only - when SCRUM ends, conversation continues in person, things get decided - walk into boss's office and make tentative strategy plans - discuss current issues, decide to rework something, meet with another team, make plans, start working on it Sometimes you can just walk around, bug people, and get shit done. It's very efficient. But all of these things also involve communication which isn't relayed to remote workers. People either forget you, or including you in the conversation is a hassle, so they don't. You feel like the unwanted stepchild, constantly pinging people to get some kind of feedback and never seeming to reach them until much later. It's really inefficent.

megaman22 9y ago
These things are as infuriating when I am in the office and left out of the loop as when I'm working remote. More so, really, because the purported benefits of dragging myself in there aren't materializing to offset the suck. There's no excuse for piss-poor planning and communication. It's not that hard to send an email and get it on record. Also "Walking around, bugging people, and getting shit done" may be very effective _for you_. Meanwhile you've blazed a path of interruption and disruption amongst your colleagues in your wake.
PeterStuer 9y ago
Sounds to me like you're a detriment to your entire office, callously leeching people's time.
- salvar 9y ago
  This seems like an exceptionally cynical and judgemental view of a person based on what, a couple of sentences?
  - PeterStuer 9y ago
    Not criticizing the OP personally, merely the described behaviors/
- peterwwillis 9y ago
  Sounds to me like you don't know how to work in an office.
tasuki 9y ago
> Sometimes you can just walk around, bug people, and get shit done. It's very efficient. This might increase the efficiency of the person walking around, and decrease the efficiency of the people getting bugged. I wouldn't say it's a net win for the company. > But all of these things also involve communication which isn't relayed to remote workers. People either forget you, or including you in the conversation is a hassle, so they don't. You feel like the unwanted stepchild, constantly pinging people to get some kind of feedback and never seeming to reach them until much later. It's really inefficent. Yes, working remotely with a team that has an office is awful. Working in a fully remote team is much easier, more pleasant, and more efficient.
briandear 9y ago
Oh my gosh. That's pretty much my definition of hell. > spins around in chair, interrupts and asks coworker a question, workshops ideas for 15 minutes, comes up with solution, makes a meeting Slack please. Don't interrupt me. > boss comes over and tells workers there's some issue going on he's going to go deal with and he'll be available via cell only I don't care. If I need the boss, I'll text/Slack/email him/her. I'm not a child -- I know what I need to do. If it's an emergency, obviously I'll know how to reach him/her. > when SCRUM ends, conversation continues in person, things get decided What conversation needs continuing? What actually needs deciding? Is there no leadership? > walk into boss's office and make tentative strategy plans holy crap. Does anything actually get DONE in this office? A whole lot of deciding and planing and interruptions and workshopping. > discuss current issues, decide to rework something, meet with another team, make plans, start working on it Sounds like your company lacks vision and leadership. It seems like a disorganized mess where there's no clear product vision, no clear leadership and horrible communication that requires a series of interrupting, impromptu meetings. You described a day where code probably gets written for all of one hour -- the rest of the time is spent just feeling good about how much stuff you've gotten done. Meanwhile -- what have you actually shipped? My comment isn't about remote vs. non-remote -- it's just pointing out that this "getting shit done" depiction is pretty much describes the sixth circle of hell.
- PeterStuer 9y ago
  Indeed. Companies that fail to recognize this behavior and put a stop to it usually end up in big trouble sooner than later. It is also one kind of employee for whim remote work is a major headache, as they have no defined contribution besides selfpromotional office politics. And let it be clear that I'm not judging the OP personally. I don't know him at all. I'm just reacting to the described behavior which would fit a 2017 remake of Bill Lumbergh.
- peterwwillis 9y ago
  Sounds like you work in Perfect Land. Where everything is planned perfectly, everything is executed perfectly, nothing unexpected ever comes up, and everyone does their job perfect. Boy, wouldn't we all like to work there. When you work with 20 teams and product lines all intermingle and you don't have an unlimited amount of time, money, or "vision", shit needs to be re-evaluated from time to time, and waiting two weeks for the scrum to end is too slow. I'm sure you're very happy to remain undisturbed, Mr. Important, but the rest of us have blockers we need addressing, so jump on a hangout for five minutes so we can get some shit done.

megaman22 9y ago

These things are as infuriating when I am in the office and left out of the loop as when I'm working remote. More so, really, because the purported benefits of dragging myself in there aren't materializing to offset the suck. There's no excuse for piss-poor planning and communication. It's not that hard to send an email and get it on record. Also "Walking around, bugging people, and getting shit done" may be very effective _for you_. Meanwhile you've blazed a path of interruption and disruption amongst your colleagues in your wake.

PeterStuer 9y ago

Sounds to me like you're a detriment to your entire office, callously leeching people's time.

salvar 9y ago
This seems like an exceptionally cynical and judgemental view of a person based on what, a couple of sentences?
- PeterStuer 9y ago
  Not criticizing the OP personally, merely the described behaviors/
peterwwillis 9y ago
Sounds to me like you don't know how to work in an office.

tasuki 9y ago

> Sometimes you can just walk around, bug people, and get shit done. It's very efficient. This might increase the efficiency of the person walking around, and decrease the efficiency of the people getting bugged. I wouldn't say it's a net win for the company. > But all of these things also involve communication which isn't relayed to remote workers. People either forget you, or including you in the conversation is a hassle, so they don't. You feel like the unwanted stepchild, constantly pinging people to get some kind of feedback and never seeming to reach them until much later. It's really inefficent. Yes, working remotely with a team that has an office is awful. Working in a fully remote team is much easier, more pleasant, and more efficient.

briandear 9y ago

Oh my gosh. That's pretty much my definition of hell. > spins around in chair, interrupts and asks coworker a question, workshops ideas for 15 minutes, comes up with solution, makes a meeting Slack please. Don't interrupt me. > boss comes over and tells workers there's some issue going on he's going to go deal with and he'll be available via cell only I don't care. If I need the boss, I'll text/Slack/email him/her. I'm not a child -- I know what I need to do. If it's an emergency, obviously I'll know how to reach him/her. > when SCRUM ends, conversation continues in person, things get decided What conversation needs continuing? What actually needs deciding? Is there no leadership? > walk into boss's office and make tentative strategy plans holy crap. Does anything actually get DONE in this office? A whole lot of deciding and planing and interruptions and workshopping. > discuss current issues, decide to rework something, meet with another team, make plans, start working on it Sounds like your company lacks vision and leadership. It seems like a disorganized mess where there's no clear product vision, no clear leadership and horrible communication that requires a series of interrupting, impromptu meetings. You described a day where code probably gets written for all of one hour -- the rest of the time is spent just feeling good about how much stuff you've gotten done. Meanwhile -- what have you actually shipped? My comment isn't about remote vs. non-remote -- it's just pointing out that this "getting shit done" depiction is pretty much describes the sixth circle of hell.

PeterStuer 9y ago
Indeed. Companies that fail to recognize this behavior and put a stop to it usually end up in big trouble sooner than later. It is also one kind of employee for whim remote work is a major headache, as they have no defined contribution besides selfpromotional office politics. And let it be clear that I'm not judging the OP personally. I don't know him at all. I'm just reacting to the described behavior which would fit a 2017 remake of Bill Lumbergh.
peterwwillis 9y ago
Sounds like you work in Perfect Land. Where everything is planned perfectly, everything is executed perfectly, nothing unexpected ever comes up, and everyone does their job perfect. Boy, wouldn't we all like to work there. When you work with 20 teams and product lines all intermingle and you don't have an unlimited amount of time, money, or "vision", shit needs to be re-evaluated from time to time, and waiting two weeks for the scrum to end is too slow. I'm sure you're very happy to remain undisturbed, Mr. Important, but the rest of us have blockers we need addressing, so jump on a hangout for five minutes so we can get some shit done.