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I'm with you. I'd love a one-time budget for modifications to my home that will actually make it viable as an office. I've invested in a better chair, monitor(s

I'm with you. I'd love a one-time budget for modifications to my home that will actually make it viable as an office. I've invested in a better chair, monitor(s), peripherals etc. That money shouldn't have came out of my pocket. That's being said, I don't work for Google, but the guarantee that I'd be able to move some place cheaper for a year would make these expenses easier to swallow.

StephenAmar 6y ago
So like https://www.forbes.com/sites/beasleydavid/2020/05/27/google-gives-employees-1000-work-from-home-allowance/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/beasleydavid/2020/05/27/google-...
eclipxe 6y ago
Google did give employees about $1300 to spend on office equipment.
- boring_twenties 6y ago
  That seems to cover either a decent workstation OR a good chair, but not both?
  - amf12 6y ago
    You don't need to buy a 'workstation'. It's mainly for furniture. Everyone gets corp laptops and monitors.
  - throwaway45349 6y ago
    Googlers can't use our workstations at home, but we can use our laptops for remote desktop/SSH. Everything else is processed in data centers which means great performance everywhere. We've also got monitors and office chairs to bring home.
    - boring_twenties 6y ago
      Wait a minute, you now have to do all your work on a laptop? For 8 hours a day? That sounds like pure hell.
jacquesm 6y ago
That's a good point and I will use it during our next all hands meeting.
matsemann 6y ago
My company (in Norway, so not FAANG) shipped all their office stuff to us. So before the first week of WFH was over I had gotten my chair, desk, screen, keyboard etc all set up at home. But if these things last longtime or become permanent, I think people will start reconsider where they live. For instance, we could need an extra room for a proper office.
- C1sc0cat 6y ago
  You will even more so if your part of a couple - a lot of places wont want your SO listening in of conference calls.

StephenAmar 6y ago

So like https://www.forbes.com/sites/beasleydavid/2020/05/27/google-gives-employees-1000-work-from-home-allowance/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/beasleydavid/2020/05/27/google-...

eclipxe 6y ago

Google did give employees about $1300 to spend on office equipment.

boring_twenties 6y ago
That seems to cover either a decent workstation OR a good chair, but not both?
- amf12 6y ago
  You don't need to buy a 'workstation'. It's mainly for furniture. Everyone gets corp laptops and monitors.
- throwaway45349 6y ago
  Googlers can't use our workstations at home, but we can use our laptops for remote desktop/SSH. Everything else is processed in data centers which means great performance everywhere. We've also got monitors and office chairs to bring home.
  - boring_twenties 6y ago
    Wait a minute, you now have to do all your work on a laptop? For 8 hours a day? That sounds like pure hell.

jacquesm 6y ago

That's a good point and I will use it during our next all hands meeting.

matsemann 6y ago

My company (in Norway, so not FAANG) shipped all their office stuff to us. So before the first week of WFH was over I had gotten my chair, desk, screen, keyboard etc all set up at home. But if these things last longtime or become permanent, I think people will start reconsider where they live. For instance, we could need an extra room for a proper office.

C1sc0cat 6y ago
You will even more so if your part of a couple - a lot of places wont want your SO listening in of conference calls.