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This matters so much. I am a strong advocate for WFH. When I worked an hour and change away from the office, and I went WFH I felt so much better about life. Su

This matters so much. I am a strong advocate for WFH. When I worked an hour and change away from the office, and I went WFH I felt so much better about life. Suddenly, when work ended, I was just off. No commute to frustrate me. I'd walk away from my desk, and start dinner then hit the gym. On lunches I took walks. It was glorious. I did however start to fatigue as time went on. I was wound up at the end of the day while my wife was ready to wind down because some days I just felt like I'd been isolated all day. Even with walks and going to the gym in evenings. A year or so ago we moved 20 minutes from my office. Some stuff happened with management etc that they wanted people to at least come in a couple days if possible. So I did. Being only 20 minutes away I didn't mind it as much. I had also been migrated to a new team that I really got along with. We lunch together, we shoot the shit if things are chill, I get pulled in on more interesting projects because I'm right there and if I hear someone talking about something I know I'd be helpful on I chime in "Hey, I can help with that" - things I'd have missed out on getting to do if I were at home waiting for someone to send me a Jira ticket or mention it during morning standup. I also have more visibility with our VPs and directors. Anyway, IMO, WFH is fantastic - especially when you live far away - but some office face time is also great. Good for people, good for careers. I feel incredibly fortunate to have stumbled into a position where I have the option to WFH, but also enjoy 3 or 4 days in the office.

Ericson2314 7y ago
Everyone being in small coop they live < 30 minutes away from that voluntarily joins and leaves larger organizations (and not in some bullshit primordial john locke way) should be the goal almost everyone can get behind. WFH is right that autonomy is good (being away from a boss) and commutes are bad, but denying the social nature of our species when work (for better or worse) consumes so much time is ludicrous.
- raducu 7y ago
  I absolutely agree on the 30 minutes commute. I used to have that, my office changed location to 1h commute and the 2 days of wfh still mean more commute time than no wfh previously. I've had 50minutes commute before, but it was just one uninterrupted subway ride which meant I could follow some online courses, but 1h of commute that involves 2x 10 minutes walks and 2 subway changes, its just hell. I feel that the bank just had to let people with 2 wfh days, lest people quit en mass.
SuoDuanDao 7y ago
I've been thinking about creative ways around this - do you have any guess how the dynamic would change if everyone in a remote-first team had an hour lunch they all took in the same minecraft server (or something)? I feel like that would give a lot of time for people to talk shop in the way you're describing, but I've never heard of it being implemented.
- blaser-waffle 7y ago
  Great in spirit, but IMO it would feel like another mandatory "fun" activity, just another obligation. It's not something that can be implemented but something that evolves. I think the key is to create lacunae in the office that allow the culture to form. Watercoolers or smoke breaks or 100% informal happy hour beers, etc. Once leadership makes it "a thing" it loses its dynamic.
  - SuoDuanDao 7y ago
    Excellent point. So leadership would have to reliably be in the server, but not require it of anyone else.

Ericson2314 7y ago

Everyone being in small coop they live < 30 minutes away from that voluntarily joins and leaves larger organizations (and not in some bullshit primordial john locke way) should be the goal almost everyone can get behind. WFH is right that autonomy is good (being away from a boss) and commutes are bad, but denying the social nature of our species when work (for better or worse) consumes so much time is ludicrous.

raducu 7y ago
I absolutely agree on the 30 minutes commute. I used to have that, my office changed location to 1h commute and the 2 days of wfh still mean more commute time than no wfh previously. I've had 50minutes commute before, but it was just one uninterrupted subway ride which meant I could follow some online courses, but 1h of commute that involves 2x 10 minutes walks and 2 subway changes, its just hell. I feel that the bank just had to let people with 2 wfh days, lest people quit en mass.

SuoDuanDao 7y ago

I've been thinking about creative ways around this - do you have any guess how the dynamic would change if everyone in a remote-first team had an hour lunch they all took in the same minecraft server (or something)? I feel like that would give a lot of time for people to talk shop in the way you're describing, but I've never heard of it being implemented.

blaser-waffle 7y ago
Great in spirit, but IMO it would feel like another mandatory "fun" activity, just another obligation. It's not something that can be implemented but something that evolves. I think the key is to create lacunae in the office that allow the culture to form. Watercoolers or smoke breaks or 100% informal happy hour beers, etc. Once leadership makes it "a thing" it loses its dynamic.
- SuoDuanDao 7y ago
  Excellent point. So leadership would have to reliably be in the server, but not require it of anyone else.