4 ms·

We’re Kidding Ourselves That Workers Perform Well from Home

9 points by ctoth 5y ago

ctoth 5y ago
Check out some of the comments on the related article [0]. I especially like this: >Alexander Fleiss, 38, chief executive of the investment management firm Rebellion Research, said some employees had resisted going back into the office. He hopes peer pressure and the fear of missing out on a promotion for lack of face-to-face interactions entices people back. > “Those people might lose their jobs because of natural selection,” Mr. Fleiss said. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if workers began suing companies because they felt they had been laid off for refusing to go back to the office. > Mr. Fleiss also tries to persuade his staff members who are working on projects to come back by focusing on the benefits of face-to-face collaborations, but many employees would still rather stick to Zoom calls. > “If that’s what they want, that’s what they want,” he said. “You can’t force anyone to do anything these days. You can only urge.” [0]: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/business/economy/return-office-young-workers.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/business/economy/return-o...
- jaredcwhite 5y ago
  Darn these snot-nosed hipster kids these days who don't like being forced into doing anything. Back in my day, we could force workers to do all sorts of things, and they liked it! They loved it! And there was nuthin' anyone could do about it.
- fzzzy 5y ago
  Or it might be the managers of the companies that force people to go back in to offices that lose their jobs due to natural selection...
twirlock 5y ago
This is the most vapid and content-free article I have ever seen from the nyt. Some guy basically got to publish his intra-company propaganda in exchange for saying vaccines are good.
- ctoth 5y ago
  I don't disagree with you. Still interesting to keep a finger on the zeitgeist.
octokatt 5y ago
> There is a cost to working at home that goes beyond depression, disconnectedness and failing to bathe regularly: It can drain morale and diminish collegiality. This is about learning to lead and work in a remote environment, not that working remotely is impossible. Some industries like legal services (including public legal services like courtrooms) have needed to learn these skills for several years, if not decades at this point. Firms can ignore the reality of working remotely, and even continue onwards for a while because of the deep moat their services have, but eventually they will need to adapt. On a less constructive note, this same attitude is why legal services used to (and in some cases, still do) print out a ton of paper instead of using digital services for so much longer than nearly any other industry. A huge unwillingness to update processes that are “still working just fine”.
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  > and failing to bathe regularly Wait what?
  - nextaccountic 5y ago
    This is just depression. But, working on an office with long commutes can also lead to depression. We need better access to mental health care, but not (just) because of home office.
    - 908B64B197 5y ago
      I misread and thought the author meant that folks working from home would do so because they could not bathe. I found the thesis... interesting? One notable fructivore tried it.
ntw1103 5y ago
I don't want to work in an office. Espcially and open office. If I'm brought back into an office, I'll quit.
nine_zeros 5y ago
Why would anyone be looking forward to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3jizSM6M0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3jizSM6M0o Oh yes, management has a problem justifying their job so they want everyone in front of their eyes.
Koshkin 5y ago
My observations show that it's all as usual - some do, some don't...
truth_ 5y ago
This is pure (probably sponsored) propaganda. So empty and baseless article.
Romulus968 5y ago
Yet, ironically, time and time again, studies have shown that when allowed to work from home, most employee's productivity increases.

9 points by ctoth 5y ago

Check out some of the comments on the related article [0]. I especially like this: >Alexander Fleiss, 38, chief executive of the investment management firm Rebellion Research, said some employees had resisted going back into the office. He hopes peer pressure and the fear of missing out on a promotion for lack of face-to-face interactions entices people back. > “Those people might lose their jobs because of natural selection,” Mr. Fleiss said. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if workers began suing companies because they felt they had been laid off for refusing to go back to the office. > Mr. Fleiss also tries to persuade his staff members who are working on projects to come back by focusing on the benefits of face-to-face collaborations, but many employees would still rather stick to Zoom calls. > “If that’s what they want, that’s what they want,” he said. “You can’t force anyone to do anything these days. You can only urge.” [0]: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/business/economy/return-office-young-workers.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/26/business/economy/return-o...

jaredcwhite 5y ago
Darn these snot-nosed hipster kids these days who don't like being forced into doing anything. Back in my day, we could force workers to do all sorts of things, and they liked it! They loved it! And there was nuthin' anyone could do about it.
fzzzy 5y ago
Or it might be the managers of the companies that force people to go back in to offices that lose their jobs due to natural selection...

twirlock 5y ago

This is the most vapid and content-free article I have ever seen from the nyt. Some guy basically got to publish his intra-company propaganda in exchange for saying vaccines are good.

ctoth 5y ago
I don't disagree with you. Still interesting to keep a finger on the zeitgeist.

octokatt 5y ago

> There is a cost to working at home that goes beyond depression, disconnectedness and failing to bathe regularly: It can drain morale and diminish collegiality. This is about learning to lead and work in a remote environment, not that working remotely is impossible. Some industries like legal services (including public legal services like courtrooms) have needed to learn these skills for several years, if not decades at this point. Firms can ignore the reality of working remotely, and even continue onwards for a while because of the deep moat their services have, but eventually they will need to adapt. On a less constructive note, this same attitude is why legal services used to (and in some cases, still do) print out a ton of paper instead of using digital services for so much longer than nearly any other industry. A huge unwillingness to update processes that are “still working just fine”.

908B64B197 5y ago
> and failing to bathe regularly Wait what?
- nextaccountic 5y ago
  This is just depression. But, working on an office with long commutes can also lead to depression. We need better access to mental health care, but not (just) because of home office.
  - 908B64B197 5y ago
    I misread and thought the author meant that folks working from home would do so because they could not bathe. I found the thesis... interesting? One notable fructivore tried it.

ntw1103 5y ago

I don't want to work in an office. Espcially and open office. If I'm brought back into an office, I'll quit.

nine_zeros 5y ago

Why would anyone be looking forward to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3jizSM6M0o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3jizSM6M0o Oh yes, management has a problem justifying their job so they want everyone in front of their eyes.

Koshkin 5y ago

My observations show that it's all as usual - some do, some don't...

truth_ 5y ago

This is pure (probably sponsored) propaganda. So empty and baseless article.

Romulus968 5y ago

Yet, ironically, time and time again, studies have shown that when allowed to work from home, most employee's productivity increases.