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Just had this conversation with my parents today. They asked why is working from home so wonderful? The number one reason I had was, because everyone can just

Just had this conversation with my parents today. They asked why is working from home so wonderful? The number one reason I had was, because everyone can just be them, it's a lot different than in the office. The job can and should be a lot more inclusive and diverse when you're working in your own space -- home office, cafe, etc. You find what works for you, without having to worry about messing with someone else's flow in the next cubicle or being interrupted in your own flow by someone that always needs to escape their own work. Someone that wants to do something distracting can, without annoying others, everything is on your own terms, even if you have to take care of other family members. With audio only you're just another human, not to be judged on appearance or malformation or what have you; which opens barriers that are presented in the office all the time, hell, it might even scare your interviewers from giving you the job in the first place! Either people can be cruel or incessantly think you're helpless. I've noticed over the last year, those colleagues that are more introverted sometimes have a better go of presenting how they think online. When sharing their screens they're able to show more of their presentation skills, a lot more chances to present in a way they've developed overtime. And not more opportunities, it's probably the first opportunity they've had to shine than if it they were in an office; it doesn't happen. In my opinion, I feel like those that are people-people will always get ahead in an office setting versus those that think a bit differently, look a bit differently, dress or act a bit differently, and this makes it a more level playing field for the latter.

mLuby 5y ago
Exactly. Remote work promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- benrbray 5y ago
  I think this is yet to be determined, but even if you're right, it still promotes a different kind of inequality. Remote work is strongly biased in favor of those with the resources to have a nice, distraction-free office setup at home, and towards those who are already established in their careers.
  - DrBenCarson 5y ago
    Not to mention how it advantages people who can afford after school child care. An all-remote workforce is on its way to being an all-male workforce. Female employment is already decades behind where it was pre-pandemic. The single male echo chamber on here is unnerving.
    - inciampati 5y ago
      How can you stay in the office if you don't have after school child care? If you WFH and have a child >5yo you're likey to be able to spend a few hours working with them at home. You can take a regular break and pick them up from school. With more than one it is more difficult. But in either case, how do you manage to stay in the office without after school childcare? I'm speaking as a parent who has exactly the same job as my partner. If neither of us were WFH, we would be unable to get by without after school support. With both of us WFH, we can trade pickup and childcare responsibilities. It's way more flexible and completely the opposite of what you're arguing.
    - OJFord 5y ago
      > Not to mention how [wfh] advantages people who can afford after school child care. What? Surely if anything it's the opposite - if you can't afford it wfh allows you to be at home to 'multi-task', what're you going to do if you're supposed to be in the office?
    - licebmi__at__ 5y ago
      This is a weird take. I spend a year almost exclusively raising my son because my wife was studying to be a sub-specialist on another city and she only had a full weekend once a month. The first thing I did once we had a plan, was to negotiate partial home-office, because even if I could have after school child care, I certainly was not for it. Two months in, the partial home office became full home office because even the commute could throw a wrench on my tight schedule. Based on my experience, raising a kid on your own is difficult, and without home office would have been even worse.
    - twobitshifter 5y ago
- toto444 5y ago
  That is a bit ironic that you call inclusion the absence of social interactions.

mLuby 5y ago

Exactly. Remote work promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion.

benrbray 5y ago
I think this is yet to be determined, but even if you're right, it still promotes a different kind of inequality. Remote work is strongly biased in favor of those with the resources to have a nice, distraction-free office setup at home, and towards those who are already established in their careers.
- DrBenCarson 5y ago
  Not to mention how it advantages people who can afford after school child care. An all-remote workforce is on its way to being an all-male workforce. Female employment is already decades behind where it was pre-pandemic. The single male echo chamber on here is unnerving.
  - inciampati 5y ago
    How can you stay in the office if you don't have after school child care? If you WFH and have a child >5yo you're likey to be able to spend a few hours working with them at home. You can take a regular break and pick them up from school. With more than one it is more difficult. But in either case, how do you manage to stay in the office without after school childcare? I'm speaking as a parent who has exactly the same job as my partner. If neither of us were WFH, we would be unable to get by without after school support. With both of us WFH, we can trade pickup and childcare responsibilities. It's way more flexible and completely the opposite of what you're arguing.
  - OJFord 5y ago
    > Not to mention how [wfh] advantages people who can afford after school child care. What? Surely if anything it's the opposite - if you can't afford it wfh allows you to be at home to 'multi-task', what're you going to do if you're supposed to be in the office?
  - licebmi__at__ 5y ago
    This is a weird take. I spend a year almost exclusively raising my son because my wife was studying to be a sub-specialist on another city and she only had a full weekend once a month. The first thing I did once we had a plan, was to negotiate partial home-office, because even if I could have after school child care, I certainly was not for it. Two months in, the partial home office became full home office because even the commute could throw a wrench on my tight schedule. Based on my experience, raising a kid on your own is difficult, and without home office would have been even worse.
  - twobitshifter 5y ago
toto444 5y ago
That is a bit ironic that you call inclusion the absence of social interactions.