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You're right that there are many reasons people might seem to be underperforming in remote work, but unfortunately it doesn't really improve the situation for m
by morgante 5y ago
You're right that there are many reasons people might seem to be underperforming in remote work, but unfortunately it doesn't really improve the situation for managers or coworkers. If many employees are spending their time in childcare instead of their job, it increases the burden on other employees who have to work extra hard to pick up the slack. It's a miserable situation, and because the reason for slacking is a protected one there's virtually nothing others can do about it.
- Teknoman117 5y ago> and because the reason for slacking is a protected one there's virtually nothing others can do about it. There's a reason it's protected. You can't just expect business as usual when the entire support chain of society falls over. Everyone and everything has to adapt - people, businesses, etc.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- scottlamb 5y ago> It's a miserable situation Agreed. > and because the reason for slacking is a protected one there's virtually nothing others can do about it. Depends on who you mean by "others". When I was working and struggling, I was grateful to Google, my coworkers, and my managers for their patience with me at work. I was also angry with our society: voters and politicians who prioritized reopening @#!$@#ing bars over schools, even though my understanding was science was saying (still is saying, AFAIK) spread through the schools is relatively little and the difference to kids' learning is huge. And on parents, which is important but not as important as the impact on kids. Our society as a whole doesn't care about young families, and it's never been so clear. There is someone to blame. btw, I'm not sure the extent to which it is "protected". Being a parent is protected, but I'm not sure that extends to the ability to only put in half the work, even after society has failed. (And in my mind, it did fail.)
- mupuff1234 5y agoWhich group do you think did receive a favorable treatment? Almost every societal group suffered in one way or another, from school kids, single adults, the elder, small business owners and the list goes on. There wasn't anything specifically targeted at young families. These last years sucked hard for a lot of people.
- morgante 5y agoI think lots of knowledge workers—particularly ones without kids—have gotten a very good deal the last few years. Teachers have also had dramatically lowered expectations and still refuse to go back to the classroom.
- morgante 5y agoYes, politicians and teachers' unions share most of the blame. It's unconscionable how long they insisted on keeping schools closed, despite the massive impact on families and students and the minimal danger posed to kids. I feel sympathy for parents who are trying their best to survive while teachers have taken this as an excuse to work even less. > btw, I'm not sure the extent to which it is "protected". Being a parent is protected, but I'm not sure that extends to the ability to only put in half the work, even after society has failed. (And in my mind, it did fail.) Yes, if you can objectively prove that a parent isn't working then they wouldn't be protected. This is very obvious and easily quantifiable in an in-office environment, but with remote knowledge work it's much harder to prove—especially since the result would look like you're suddenly targeting parents for "not working hard enough." Most companies are risk-averse and simply prefer to tolerate underperformance.