Post ASyiVKlCEmGvYYIXC4 by Dbregernyc@masthead.social
(DIR) More posts by Dbregernyc@masthead.social
(DIR) Post #ASygXzNfywQID4R1Zw by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-02-23T17:20:17Z
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My own view is that more extensive use of remote work makes more sense than ever. Google operated quite effectively for a prolonged period during COVID with the vast majority of workers remote. // Amid cutbacks, desk sharing at Google Cloud, and office downsizing - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/22/google-asks-some-employees-to-share-desks-amid-office-downsizing.html
(DIR) Post #ASyhQ8Yk4YwgJWQlOa by bflipp@vmst.io
2023-02-23T17:30:24Z
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@lauren Hot desking is beyond stupid and everyone will hate it. If they weren’t so incredibly pathetic and cowardly they’d just go full remote and eliminate the office space expense entirely.
(DIR) Post #ASyhltvl8tuRJYZh3o by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-02-23T17:34:27Z
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I will note that I was working inside Google during the period when COVID was ramping up and they transitioned to essentially a fully remote workforce at that time. I was *extremely* impressed with how this was done logistically and how well it functioned in practice.
(DIR) Post #ASyiVKlCEmGvYYIXC4 by Dbregernyc@masthead.social
2023-02-23T17:42:33Z
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@lauren Diagonally across the street from me is an old printing house building that Google spent years renovating, upgrading, rewiring, modernizins. It's close to empty.
(DIR) Post #ASyilfkVy6dLHmlnGq by johnmu@mastodon.social
2023-02-23T17:45:21Z
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@lauren Yeah, I was super-impressed with how quickly & efficiently that change happened [seeing the contrast to my son's school ... yikes, the school was such a trash-fire transitioning to online]. As annoying as desk-sharing can be, I'm sure Google can do that in a reasonable way too, taking into account the edge-cases & preferences.
(DIR) Post #ASyituLhZRPeso5h2W by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-02-23T17:47:01Z
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@Dbregernyc I am concerned for #Google. I consider them to be a great firm, one of the few truly great firms I've ever worked with (two others are AT&T Bell Labs during their pre-divestiture heyday, and Digital Equipment Corp.)I also feel that despite some faults -- because no firm is perfect -- Google represents the best hope of users going forward in this incredibly toxic political environment. And I don't want to see Google taken down by haters or by problematic decisions.
(DIR) Post #ASyivgQ6KUIAGIzlAW by bitterwhiteguy@hachyderm.io
2023-02-23T17:47:11Z
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@lauren it's one of the downsides to handing out tax breaks to companies to entice them to build offices in your city, usually there's a promise of X number of employees who will be in said office to stimulate local business/tax revenue. That's part of the reason otherwise fully remote positions are being called back to be hybrid at some companies, they'll owe back taxes if they don't hit those marks.
(DIR) Post #ASyjAnFtCLs9nyQKq8 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
2023-02-23T17:50:03Z
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@johnmu Yes. But I can't help but find an irony in a firm that has been so instrumental in providing the tools for effective remote work not to be embracing it more substantively during these times. I do know the theory behind this, but I would still argue for an expansion rather than contraction of WFH, with the devil being in the details as always, of course.
(DIR) Post #ASykHvHVr5pygA99Ps by johnmu@mastodon.social
2023-02-23T18:02:30Z
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@lauren That's definitely true. The whole "get back to the office" thing has been weird. It's easier to get things done when everyone's convinced that it must happen.
(DIR) Post #ASykL18cXMo7iBSlDE by rekle@mastodon.cloud
2023-02-23T18:03:06Z
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@lauren @johnmu the same could be said for Citrix. They literally sell products that allow remote work but are now forcing employees back to the office.
(DIR) Post #ASykUVL1ci6pyvmyBM by Dbregernyc@masthead.social
2023-02-23T18:04:46Z
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@lauren The Spring Street building I refer to is only one of several in the neighborhood which collectively are designated the "Google campus." None of them seem to be in use including Pier 57 which is claimed to be the world's largest open space office facility. I wasn't happy when they announced they were bigfooting the area but I'm even less happy with the current uncertainty. These are not easily sublettable spaces. I hope they get used.
(DIR) Post #ASzJMjnxRwAcvcM0C8 by cazabon@mindly.social
2023-02-24T00:35:33Z
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@lauren Indeed.When COVID first hit, the company I was working for transitioned from most-in-offices, some-remote to virtually everyone remote in a span of days, not weeks. The company kept on humming and they decided to go permanently to all-remote and let the leases on properties expire (with a couple of boardrooms kept for in-person meetings). My current company is going all-remote.The drive to return to offices really does seem to be paranoia on the part of managers & C-suite execs.
(DIR) Post #ASzUA77kXMAayznJKK by i_understand@mastodon.social
2023-02-24T02:36:27Z
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@lauren I'm not a fan of the 100% remote notion. Mainly due to how important relationships are to people and I think remote work makes that much more difficult and perhaps impossible to do effectively.I think organizations will ultimately settle on 3 days in the office to be chosen by each person/team.The benefit is that everyone has an opportunity each week to see every other person who works in that location.