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As someone who works from home, and hopes to never work in an office again...I think this doesn't do justice to the Office people's argument. The Office people

As someone who works from home, and hopes to never work in an office again...I think this doesn't do justice to the Office people's argument. The Office people think the WFH people are poisoning the company culture. It's like if you had a neighbor who dumped sewage into your shared pond: "I prefer not to dump sewage into the pond, they prefer to do so, so let's accommodate both groups and allow each to do what she wants." It's important to make the case that WFH does not poison the company culture--that it can result in a more successful/effective/healthier organization. I think it requires a change in mindset and/or working patterns for certain manager types to see things this way.

eddieroger 4y ago
I don't agree with this, but I think the case can be made by those on The Office side that WFH does poison the culture. Culture is immutable, so any change to it recreates it. For some folks, being seen is contributing. Being able to swing by a cube and look over a shoulder is important. Taking that away takes something away from them. Again, I don't agree, I've work from home for nearly ten years now, but I see their point. I think it also threatens them, because we're challenging a norm, and change is scary. They like the office, and us wanting to WFH makes it seem like the office is bad, and they're bad for liking it. No one likes their cheese moved.
- lamontcg 4y ago
  Bosses also like being able to walk around the floor and see people working, and like the power trip of being able to physically tap people on the shoulder and pull them into a meeting. Also really puts a crimp on their dating / sexual harassment game and would force them to spend more time with the wife and the kids.
- cafard 4y ago
  How immutable?
metalliqaz 4y ago
it doesn't poison the company culture, it erases the company culture.
- MattPalmer1086 4y ago
  And is that a huge loss, and to whom? Can't say I've ever experienced a company culture that I would miss for one minute!
- locopati 4y ago
  So you make a company culture that can handle a fully-remote or a hybrid model.

eddieroger 4y ago

I don't agree with this, but I think the case can be made by those on The Office side that WFH does poison the culture. Culture is immutable, so any change to it recreates it. For some folks, being seen is contributing. Being able to swing by a cube and look over a shoulder is important. Taking that away takes something away from them. Again, I don't agree, I've work from home for nearly ten years now, but I see their point. I think it also threatens them, because we're challenging a norm, and change is scary. They like the office, and us wanting to WFH makes it seem like the office is bad, and they're bad for liking it. No one likes their cheese moved.

lamontcg 4y ago
Bosses also like being able to walk around the floor and see people working, and like the power trip of being able to physically tap people on the shoulder and pull them into a meeting. Also really puts a crimp on their dating / sexual harassment game and would force them to spend more time with the wife and the kids.
cafard 4y ago
How immutable?

metalliqaz 4y ago

it doesn't poison the company culture, it erases the company culture.

MattPalmer1086 4y ago
And is that a huge loss, and to whom? Can't say I've ever experienced a company culture that I would miss for one minute!
locopati 4y ago
So you make a company culture that can handle a fully-remote or a hybrid model.