7 ms·

I heard on WFH opinions there are two groups of people, one that think this will usher in a new age of productive freedom working from home never having to comm

by rb808 6y ago

I heard on WFH opinions there are two groups of people, one that think this will usher in a new age of productive freedom working from home never having to commute again, and the group with kids.

rb808 6y ago
I should add our juniors are getting screwed. Usually we spend a lot of time training and coaching, now at home they're mostly ignored. I think our intern class is going to get cancelled too.
- falcolas 6y ago
  FWIW, this is going do depend highly upon the individual companies. Our own is continuing to bring in and work with interns, even though it does cost a bit more in terms of a FT individual’s time.
- mcv 6y ago
  We currently hire our babysitter for 3 days a week to do stuff with the kids while we work and make money. It works out very well for everybody.
- tfigment 6y ago
  My company cancelled its intern program this year. I actually did hire one but I was very proactive in making it happen and barely got it done before shelter-in-place kicked in. It's really challenging for both sides compared to last year due to lack of in person but it's working.
falcolas 6y ago
Having your kids with you is a transitory thing, when school starts back up the problem will decline sharply. It’s worth remembering that these are not your standard work from home conditions - you’re being kept in due to an emergency, and trying to also get some work done.
- grovellogic 6y ago
  I wouldn't call 18 year transitory. Yes the problems decline, but there are still issues with working from home with kids. Generally space and noise becomes an issue as well.
  - dathinab 6y ago
    I think the parent comment means that in "normal" circumstances the kids are not at home all day making it less of an issue. I don't think he meant that they will move out (plus in the area where I live there was a sharp rise in rents in recent years and it's now much more common for people to stay with there parents _much_ longer. Like meeting a 24 year old person living with their parents (again) isn't that uncommon. (Not that common either)).
pgeorgi 6y ago
Right now, there's not just wfh but also kids from home. Under normal circumstances they'd spend their day in school.
parthdesai 6y ago
I'm a 26 year old male and I prefer going in office over working from home.
drchopchop 6y ago
It's also more problematic right now because of the lack of childcare/school. If that resumes, then the child distraction problem goes away (but leaves other issues like: lack of social interaction, sub-par home office situation, etc). Personally, even though my commute sucks, there is something to be said for having 8+ hours around adults. I've also noticed I am less eager to interact with my 4-year-old now because she's always around, always needs something, always loud (even with the office door closed), and I feel guilty that she's not getting the attention she needs. Schools re-opening would totally change this.
oddthink 6y ago
Oh, yes. In the olden times, I could hop on the subway for 20 minutes and get to a magical place with free food, good coffee, an actual full-sized desk, a monitor bigger than a 12" portable, and no fights breaking out every 45 minutes or small people coming in and saying "Dad? Daaad?" just as I had a hold of an idea. That probably suggests there's an urban / suburban divide, too, where the people with enough real estate to set up a full-on home office are much happier with the results. I don't even know where I'd stick a 27" monitor if I ordered one.

by rb808 6y ago

I heard on WFH opinions there are two groups of people, one that think this will usher in a new age of productive freedom working from home never having to commute again, and the group with kids.

rb808 6y ago

I should add our juniors are getting screwed. Usually we spend a lot of time training and coaching, now at home they're mostly ignored. I think our intern class is going to get cancelled too.

falcolas 6y ago
FWIW, this is going do depend highly upon the individual companies. Our own is continuing to bring in and work with interns, even though it does cost a bit more in terms of a FT individual’s time.
mcv 6y ago
We currently hire our babysitter for 3 days a week to do stuff with the kids while we work and make money. It works out very well for everybody.
tfigment 6y ago
My company cancelled its intern program this year. I actually did hire one but I was very proactive in making it happen and barely got it done before shelter-in-place kicked in. It's really challenging for both sides compared to last year due to lack of in person but it's working.

falcolas 6y ago

Having your kids with you is a transitory thing, when school starts back up the problem will decline sharply. It’s worth remembering that these are not your standard work from home conditions - you’re being kept in due to an emergency, and trying to also get some work done.

grovellogic 6y ago
I wouldn't call 18 year transitory. Yes the problems decline, but there are still issues with working from home with kids. Generally space and noise becomes an issue as well.
- dathinab 6y ago
  I think the parent comment means that in "normal" circumstances the kids are not at home all day making it less of an issue. I don't think he meant that they will move out (plus in the area where I live there was a sharp rise in rents in recent years and it's now much more common for people to stay with there parents _much_ longer. Like meeting a 24 year old person living with their parents (again) isn't that uncommon. (Not that common either)).

pgeorgi 6y ago

Right now, there's not just wfh but also kids from home. Under normal circumstances they'd spend their day in school.

parthdesai 6y ago

I'm a 26 year old male and I prefer going in office over working from home.

drchopchop 6y ago

It's also more problematic right now because of the lack of childcare/school. If that resumes, then the child distraction problem goes away (but leaves other issues like: lack of social interaction, sub-par home office situation, etc). Personally, even though my commute sucks, there is something to be said for having 8+ hours around adults. I've also noticed I am less eager to interact with my 4-year-old now because she's always around, always needs something, always loud (even with the office door closed), and I feel guilty that she's not getting the attention she needs. Schools re-opening would totally change this.

oddthink 6y ago

Oh, yes. In the olden times, I could hop on the subway for 20 minutes and get to a magical place with free food, good coffee, an actual full-sized desk, a monitor bigger than a 12" portable, and no fights breaking out every 45 minutes or small people coming in and saying "Dad? Daaad?" just as I had a hold of an idea. That probably suggests there's an urban / suburban divide, too, where the people with enough real estate to set up a full-on home office are much happier with the results. I don't even know where I'd stick a 27" monitor if I ordered one.