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I wonder how that graph will look in several years times. Will it be a bump that goes back down to near where it was? Seems doubtful. But I don't think we'll se

I wonder how that graph will look in several years times. Will it be a bump that goes back down to near where it was? Seems doubtful. But I don't think we'll see it plateau at 80%, either. Maybe a drift back down to 50% ish? At the beginning of the pandemic, I read a quote from a person that study the histories of pandemics and they said something like, "there will be two worlds, one before Covid, and one after." It seemed like hyperbole then, but not anymore.

HenryKissinger 5y ago
Mainstream remote work has arrived, and it's here to stay. White collar occupations outside tech will be forced to adapt and provide similar accommodations. Accountants, financial analysts, clerks. Any job that doesn't require manual labor or physical face time with a client will go remote. People will notice software engineers making 6 figures WFH and ask "Why can't I have that?" I believe this is part of what's fueling the Great Resignation. The disparity in terms of salary and work conditions between the worst jobs in society and the best jobs in society has become so great that a lot of people who used to occupy the worst jobs collectively said "fuck it" and successfully transitioned to better jobs, even if they're still not the best jobs society has to offer. This is also the reason why I believe that teaching will eventually either go fully remote or start paying 6 figures straight out of college. The teaching profession sucks. Teachers understand now that they can earn the same income without having to babysit 30 kids five days a week and deal with the kafkaesque bullshit that is school administration.
- rsynnott 5y ago
  I don’t see software engineering going fully remote. I certainly hope not; I’d have to retrain. The last 19 months have been enough to convince me I’ll never voluntarily do WFH for more than a day or so a time again.
  - tester756 5y ago
    yea sure it's not for everybody, but should be totally up to you whether you want remote or onsite.
rtutz 5y ago
>"there will be two worlds, one before Covid, and one after." However at the same time this cannot be applied to all areas of life. While a kind of awakening may have taken place at work, the importance of social interactions became particularly visible on the other side. I assume that the majority would rather like to return to the pre-covid era, and will strive for it.
- datameta 5y ago
  If anything I have seen communities come together more than before. The fact that everyone now shares a somewhat similar challenging experience, we can choose to relate to each other more easily.
- oblio 5y ago
  Some things will change for the long term, for example increased remote work. However, there will be definitely a ton of people wanting go get their 2-3+ years back and to take advantage of life especially since so many have seen or been around death for so long. Prepare for the New Roaring Twenties.
gravypod 5y ago
I don't think I'd consider working in office for a company for my next position. All recruiters that email me in office work are ignored, all remote options get a reply and go on a list for when I'm looking again. I want to eventually own a home but that's not going to happen for a long while in the Northern NJ area for me. For some place with temperatures I prefer more, lower taxes, and cheaper cost of living? It's definitely a possibility already.
- HenryKissinger 5y ago
  > All recruiters that email me in office work are ignored I would write a short reply that you won't consider their offers solely because of the office work requirement. Otherwise they can't be certain why they're being ignored. Make it abundantly clear why you're not interested. So when their managers grill them for low performance they can show them: Here boss, people aren't biting because we're asking them to come into the office. We need to change this asap.
  - gravypod 5y ago
    That's a good point. I think I'll start doing that. Hopefully it (in a small way) nudges the industry.
    - erikerikson 5y ago
      Maybe throw in a 4-day work week too?
      - piva00 5y ago
        I've been floating that sometimes, just to gauge interest. I tell them that I'd be willing to change if a 4-day work week would be offered, at least covering my current salary. It's a 20% increase in pay and I'd absolutely love to work Mon-Thu.
  - skeeter2020 5y ago
    Considering I get fire-bombed by recruiters who don't even consider my geographic location, skills or stated desires, and who also can't be bothered to even acknowledge me when I respond like you suggest, I'd say don't waste your time. The vast majority of recruiters only want something from you and treat you like garbage once they're not going to get it. The profession's abysmal reputation is well deserved.
downrightmike 5y ago
Before the industrial revolution, most people worked from home. Outside of farmers we can think about jewelers, watch/clock makers, cobblers. There were those that worked in work houses because they were destitute.

HenryKissinger 5y ago

Mainstream remote work has arrived, and it's here to stay. White collar occupations outside tech will be forced to adapt and provide similar accommodations. Accountants, financial analysts, clerks. Any job that doesn't require manual labor or physical face time with a client will go remote. People will notice software engineers making 6 figures WFH and ask "Why can't I have that?" I believe this is part of what's fueling the Great Resignation. The disparity in terms of salary and work conditions between the worst jobs in society and the best jobs in society has become so great that a lot of people who used to occupy the worst jobs collectively said "fuck it" and successfully transitioned to better jobs, even if they're still not the best jobs society has to offer. This is also the reason why I believe that teaching will eventually either go fully remote or start paying 6 figures straight out of college. The teaching profession sucks. Teachers understand now that they can earn the same income without having to babysit 30 kids five days a week and deal with the kafkaesque bullshit that is school administration.

rsynnott 5y ago
I don’t see software engineering going fully remote. I certainly hope not; I’d have to retrain. The last 19 months have been enough to convince me I’ll never voluntarily do WFH for more than a day or so a time again.
- tester756 5y ago
  yea sure it's not for everybody, but should be totally up to you whether you want remote or onsite.

rtutz 5y ago

>"there will be two worlds, one before Covid, and one after." However at the same time this cannot be applied to all areas of life. While a kind of awakening may have taken place at work, the importance of social interactions became particularly visible on the other side. I assume that the majority would rather like to return to the pre-covid era, and will strive for it.

datameta 5y ago
If anything I have seen communities come together more than before. The fact that everyone now shares a somewhat similar challenging experience, we can choose to relate to each other more easily.
oblio 5y ago
Some things will change for the long term, for example increased remote work. However, there will be definitely a ton of people wanting go get their 2-3+ years back and to take advantage of life especially since so many have seen or been around death for so long. Prepare for the New Roaring Twenties.

gravypod 5y ago

I don't think I'd consider working in office for a company for my next position. All recruiters that email me in office work are ignored, all remote options get a reply and go on a list for when I'm looking again. I want to eventually own a home but that's not going to happen for a long while in the Northern NJ area for me. For some place with temperatures I prefer more, lower taxes, and cheaper cost of living? It's definitely a possibility already.

HenryKissinger 5y ago
> All recruiters that email me in office work are ignored I would write a short reply that you won't consider their offers solely because of the office work requirement. Otherwise they can't be certain why they're being ignored. Make it abundantly clear why you're not interested. So when their managers grill them for low performance they can show them: Here boss, people aren't biting because we're asking them to come into the office. We need to change this asap.
- gravypod 5y ago
  That's a good point. I think I'll start doing that. Hopefully it (in a small way) nudges the industry.
  - erikerikson 5y ago
    Maybe throw in a 4-day work week too?
    - piva00 5y ago
      I've been floating that sometimes, just to gauge interest. I tell them that I'd be willing to change if a 4-day work week would be offered, at least covering my current salary. It's a 20% increase in pay and I'd absolutely love to work Mon-Thu.
- skeeter2020 5y ago
  Considering I get fire-bombed by recruiters who don't even consider my geographic location, skills or stated desires, and who also can't be bothered to even acknowledge me when I respond like you suggest, I'd say don't waste your time. The vast majority of recruiters only want something from you and treat you like garbage once they're not going to get it. The profession's abysmal reputation is well deserved.

downrightmike 5y ago

Before the industrial revolution, most people worked from home. Outside of farmers we can think about jewelers, watch/clock makers, cobblers. There were those that worked in work houses because they were destitute.