7 ms·

> I drive to work, communicate with no one except on the computer, then drive home. You don't talk to people aside from at the meetings?

ebrewste 5y ago
Not the person you were asking, but I had next to no conversations about work aside from video calls, even before Covid. Between national and international distributed teams (and people working weird hours to avoid sf bay commute hours), and packed meeting schedules, it basically didn’t happen. It’s making me sad to write this and it’s making me think.
- _y5hn 5y ago
  Have children learn by Zoom from kindergarten, so they adjust early. /s
mike_d 5y ago
Do people have hallway conversations? Sure. Are they conversations that a company would consider help further the bottom line? Not at all.
- remus 5y ago
  > Are they conversations that a company would consider help further the bottom line? Not at all. I realise this depends on the company and the person, but to me these kinds of conversations are essential. I find all the interesting stuff actually happens in these incidental conversations! I guess the real takeaway here is that to be an effective company you need to have an environment where your employees can work well, but different styles work better for different people so you end up having to compromise.
- Scarblac 5y ago
  Those conversations are actually the most important reason our directors want us back in the office. It's how company culture spreads to new people.
  - MattPalmer1086 5y ago
    It's funny, I once had a manager who was outraged I hadn't done something she asked for. I said I wasn't aware of the requirement. She hadnt actually made any formal announcement. She just liked informal chats with colleagues and assumed all important decisions she made would just spread to everyone through some kind of office osmosis. She then got annoyed with me that I didn't have enough casual conversations with the team. She wasn't a good manager. But it remains the only time I've been reprimanded for focusing on getting my job done and not chatting enough!
miked85 5y ago
Depends on the company, at my current company it was very rare.
benibela 5y ago
I do not even talk in meetings If I get an idea during a meeting, I send it as an email afterwards
irrational 5y ago
Not really. I come in, sit down, put on my headphones, and stare at my screen pretty much the entire day. I’ve never engaged in small talk in the hallway, even pre-pandemic. It pisses me off when people stand around talking and disturbing people around them trying to concentrate. If you want to have a conversation, schedule a conference room and close the door.

ebrewste 5y ago

Not the person you were asking, but I had next to no conversations about work aside from video calls, even before Covid. Between national and international distributed teams (and people working weird hours to avoid sf bay commute hours), and packed meeting schedules, it basically didn’t happen. It’s making me sad to write this and it’s making me think.

_y5hn 5y ago
Have children learn by Zoom from kindergarten, so they adjust early. /s

mike_d 5y ago

Do people have hallway conversations? Sure. Are they conversations that a company would consider help further the bottom line? Not at all.

remus 5y ago
> Are they conversations that a company would consider help further the bottom line? Not at all. I realise this depends on the company and the person, but to me these kinds of conversations are essential. I find all the interesting stuff actually happens in these incidental conversations! I guess the real takeaway here is that to be an effective company you need to have an environment where your employees can work well, but different styles work better for different people so you end up having to compromise.
Scarblac 5y ago
Those conversations are actually the most important reason our directors want us back in the office. It's how company culture spreads to new people.
- MattPalmer1086 5y ago
  It's funny, I once had a manager who was outraged I hadn't done something she asked for. I said I wasn't aware of the requirement. She hadnt actually made any formal announcement. She just liked informal chats with colleagues and assumed all important decisions she made would just spread to everyone through some kind of office osmosis. She then got annoyed with me that I didn't have enough casual conversations with the team. She wasn't a good manager. But it remains the only time I've been reprimanded for focusing on getting my job done and not chatting enough!

miked85 5y ago

Depends on the company, at my current company it was very rare.

benibela 5y ago

I do not even talk in meetings If I get an idea during a meeting, I send it as an email afterwards

irrational 5y ago

Not really. I come in, sit down, put on my headphones, and stare at my screen pretty much the entire day. I’ve never engaged in small talk in the hallway, even pre-pandemic. It pisses me off when people stand around talking and disturbing people around them trying to concentrate. If you want to have a conversation, schedule a conference room and close the door.