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I see two things which may have an impact: 1. Conferences require travel budget, which in tech companies (from what I hear) is being repurposed to build out AI

by RajT88 1y ago

I see two things which may have an impact: 1. Conferences require travel budget, which in tech companies (from what I hear) is being repurposed to build out AI capacity. Really, everything is being squeezed like this it seems. 2. A lot of folks only go to cons to network - which also means finding better jobs. There might be some connection between cons and turnover.

Aurornis 1y ago
> 1. Conferences require travel budget, which in tech companies (from what I hear) is being repurposed to build out AI capacity. Really, everything is being squeezed like this it seems. > 2. A lot of folks only go to cons to network - which also means finding better jobs. There might be some connection between cons and turnover. 1 and 2 are related, at least in my experience. Sending people to conferences was really popular for a while, but companies began realizing that most engineers weren't actually learning much from the conferences. It was a way to travel and network and have your company pay for it. At one company they had a problem where people would put in requests to attend conferences in good travel locations, but then not actually go to the conference. They'd bring their families along and have a little discounted vacation where the company paid for the hotel room, 1 plane ticket, and some of the expenses without having to take any PTO.
- bonoboTP 1y ago
  Yes, it boils down to a trust issue. People on both sides of the table pressing the defect button over and over. Realistically, conference attendance is a perk, and should be understood as such and accepted. Of course to a shareholder breathing down the neck of the business admins, it's unsqueezed slack in the system that has to be better justified than that. And realistically the employee would go, attach a few extra days, maybe skip a day of the event, but still feel some kind of duty (what a quaint word) to make use of the actual conf too. It's an arms race where both sides are saying, if you don't give a shit, we don't give a shit.
- lazide 1y ago
  Yikes, that last one sounds like straight up embezzlement?

by RajT88 1y ago

Aurornis 1y ago

> 1. Conferences require travel budget, which in tech companies (from what I hear) is being repurposed to build out AI capacity. Really, everything is being squeezed like this it seems. > 2. A lot of folks only go to cons to network - which also means finding better jobs. There might be some connection between cons and turnover. 1 and 2 are related, at least in my experience. Sending people to conferences was really popular for a while, but companies began realizing that most engineers weren't actually learning much from the conferences. It was a way to travel and network and have your company pay for it. At one company they had a problem where people would put in requests to attend conferences in good travel locations, but then not actually go to the conference. They'd bring their families along and have a little discounted vacation where the company paid for the hotel room, 1 plane ticket, and some of the expenses without having to take any PTO.

bonoboTP 1y ago
Yes, it boils down to a trust issue. People on both sides of the table pressing the defect button over and over. Realistically, conference attendance is a perk, and should be understood as such and accepted. Of course to a shareholder breathing down the neck of the business admins, it's unsqueezed slack in the system that has to be better justified than that. And realistically the employee would go, attach a few extra days, maybe skip a day of the event, but still feel some kind of duty (what a quaint word) to make use of the actual conf too. It's an arms race where both sides are saying, if you don't give a shit, we don't give a shit.
lazide 1y ago
Yikes, that last one sounds like straight up embezzlement?